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THE  IRISH  NATURALIST; 


^  pioittljUj  limtvntal 


OF 


GENERAL  IRISH  NATURAL  HISTORY. 


THE   OFFICIAI.   ORGAN   OF 

7'Ae  Royal  Zoological  Society  of  Ireland;   The  Dublin  Microscopical  C/uh; 

The  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society ; 

The  Belfast  Naturalists"  Field  Cluh;     The  Dublin  Naturalists'  Field  Club  ; 

The  Armagh  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society; 

The  Cork  Naturalists'  Field  Club. 


FDITFD  BY 

GEORGE    H.    CARPENTER,    B.Sc,    Eond 

AND 

R.  EEOYD  PRAEGER,  B.A.,  B.E.,  M.R.I.A. 


VOL.    I. 


DUBLIN  :  EASON  &  SON,  Limited, 
85  MIDDLE  ABBEY-STREET,  and  40  LOWER   SACKVILLE  STREET. 

BELFAST  :  17  DONEGALL  STREET. 
LONDON:  SIMPKIN,    MARSHALL.    HAMILTON,   KENT  &  Co.,   Ltd. 

1892 


AVEBR  AXn  WALPOLE,  PRINTERS,  ABBEY-STREKT,   DUBLIN. 


LIST    OF    CONTRIBUTORS 

TO  THK   PRKSKNT  VOIyUME. 


I  ♦  I 


Ball,  V.,  c.b.,  ll.d.,  f.r.s.,  Dublin,  172. 

Barrktt-Hamilton,G.E.H.,  New  Ross,  126,  127,  156,  172,  181. 

Barrington,  R.  M.,  F.L.S.,  Bray,  124. 

Barrington,  W.  B.,  Cork,  146,  147. 

Barton,  H.  D.  M.,  Antrim,  61,  195. 

Bennett,  Arthur,  f.l.s.,  Croydon,  Surrey,  48 

Bennett,  J.  H.,  Monkstown,  Cork,  144. 

Bland,  T.  D.,  Londonderry^  146. 

Browne,  J.  M.,  b.a.,  Dublin,  189. 

Campbell,  D.  C,  Londonderry,  195. 

Carpenter,   G.  H.,  b.sc,  Dublin,  42,  82,  125,  168. 

Charbonnier,  H.  J.,  Bristol,  127. 

Close,  Rev.  M.  H.,  m.a.,  f.g.s.,  Dublin,  62. 

Cole,  Professor  G.  A.  J.,  f.g.s.,  Dublin,  9,  31,  53,  73,  90 

CoLGAN,  N.,  Dublin,  95,  144. 

Collins,  A.  J.,  Belfast,  147. 

CoNNELL,  W.,  Carlow,  82. 

CuTHBERT,  H.  K.  G.,  Blackrock,  103,  158,  168. 

Davies,  J.  H.,  Lisburn,  81. 

DoNNAN,  W.  D.,  Hol3^wood,  Co.  Down,  104. 

Donovan,  Miss  G.  E.,  Timoleague,  Co.  Cork,  126. 

Ellison,  Rev.  Allan,  b.a.,  Hillsboro',  Co.  Down,  43. 

Fallan,  O.,  Ardara,  Co.  Donegal,  80,  84. 

Halbert,  J.  N.,  Dublin,  125,  195. 

Hamilton,  John,  Belfast,  170. 

Hart,  Professor  G.  V.,  q.c,  ll.d.,  195. 

Hart,  H.  C,  b.a.,  f.l.s.,  Letterkenny,  Co.  Donegal,  124. 

Hart,  W.  E.,  Carrowmore,  Co.  Donegal,  82,  125,  170; 

Hunter,  Robert,  Clonmel,  61.  . 

Jameson,  H.  Lyster,  Loughgilly,  Co.  Armagh,  82,  83. 

Johnson,  Rev.  W.  F.,  m.a.,  f.e.s.,  Armagh,  14,  18,  37,  57,  77, 

97,  104,  120,  128,  142. 
Johnson,  Professor  T.,  d.sc,  f.l.s.,  Dublin,  4,  77. 
Johnston,  James,  Bray,  44. 
Kinahan,  G.  H.,  M.R.I.A.,  Dublin,  162,  184,  196. 
Leebody,  Professor  J.  R.,  m.a.,  d.sc,  Londonderry,  147,  173. 
Lett,  Rev.  H.  W.,  m.a.,  Loughbrickland,  Co.  Down,  80,  82. 
M'Ardle,  David,  Glasnevin,  60,  68,  81,  125,  133,  144. 
M'Bride,  J.  M.,  Westport,  82,  84. 
M'Weeney,  E.  J.,  M.A.,  M.D.,  Dublin,  60,  123. 


iv  List  of  Contributors. 

Mii^NE,  J.  N.,  lyondonderry,  192. 

Moffat,  C.  B.,   Ballyliyland,    Co.  Wexford    61,  83,   104,  145, 

156,  181. 
MoRK,  A.  G.,  F.i,.s.,  M.R.I. A.,  Dublin,  3,  83. 
Nkale,  Francis,  lyimerick,  42,  169. 
Pai^mer,  J.  H.,  Dublin,  114. 

Patterson,  Robert,  m.b.o.u..  Belfast,  18,  19,  50,  70,  83,  85. 
Patterson,  W.  H.,  Jun.,  Holywood,  Co.  Down,  104. 
PiM,  Greenwood,  m.a.,  f.i^.s.,  Monkstown,  Co.  Dublin,  25. 
Praeger,  R.  Leoyd,  B.E.,  M.R.I. A.,  Holywood,  Co.  Down,  41, 

61,  no,  124,  125,  138,  168,  171. 
ScHARFF,  R.  F.,  B.sc,  PH.D.,  Dublin,  45,  65,  87,  105,  118,  135, 

146,  149,  172,  177. 
Smith,  Owen,  Nobber,  Meatli,  62,  84,  172. 
Starkey,  W.,  Jun.,  Rathmines,  Dublin,  170. 
SwiNEY,  J.  J.,  C.E.,  Belfast,  126. 
UsSHER,  R.  J.,  lyismore,  Co.  Waterford,  6,  28,  146. 
Waddeel,  Rev.  C.  H.,  b.d.,  Saintfield,  Co.  Down,  102,  194. 
Waepole,  T.  H.,  Dublin,  84. 
Warren,  Miss  Amy,  Ballina.  126,  170. 
Warren,  Robert,  Ballina,  129,  146,  154. 
WiELiAMS,  E.,  Dublin,  83,  170. 


ERRATA. 

Page      3,  line  20,  for  310  read  186. 

5     ,,   1892  read  1891. 

2     ,,  vallisclanstc  read  z'allisclauSiV. 

8     ,,  Ratininm  alofcciiritm  read  7/iaiunium  alopecurum. 
35     ,,  Pnuius  read  Pyrus. 
38     ,,  deeply-pinnatifid  r^<:w^  deeply-bipinnatifid. 


4            M 

81    „ 
81    „ 

112        ,, 

112        ,, 

INDEX. 


-*C'*- 


Adinia  cquitm,  marginal  spherule  of, 

20. 
Ajugcc  jjyvam  idalis,  1 68. 
Algae  from  West  Coast  of  Ireland,  4. 
Anscr  hrachyrhynehus,  4. 
Aquila  chrysaetus,  83. 
Armagh,  Coleoptera  of,   14,  36,  57, 

77,  97,  120,  142. 
Armagh  Nat.  Hist,  and  Phil.  Society, 

22,  39,  166. 
Asio  otus,  126,  146. 

Basalts,  Tertiary,  of  Donegal,  196. 
Beetles  from  Dublin  district,  189. 
Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club,  21,  63,  79, 

100,  128,  148,  166,  194. 
Belfast  Nat.  Hist,  and  Phil.  Society, 

21,  39.  193- 
Biloculina  depressa,  100. 
Birds,  Irish,  Recent  Additions,  3  ; 

arrival   of   summer    migrants, 
61,  82. 

singing  at  night,  43. 

of  Lambay  Island,  114. 

of  Lough  Brne,  iii,  146. 

of  Lough  Swill}',  173. 

of  Rathlin  Island,  50,  70,  87. 
Bittern,  Common,  62. 
Black-fish,  146. 
Botany  of  Aran  Islands,  70. 

Dalkey  Island,  133. 

Lough  Erne,  iii. 

Lough  Sheelin,  124. 

Mourne  Mountains,  24 . 

Wexford,  103,  156,  168,  181. 
Botaurus  stellar  is,  62. 
Burnet,  Lesser,  81. 
Buteo  lagopus,  44. 
Butterflies  from  Howth,  170. 
Butterfly  re-appearances,  145,  170. 
Buzzard,  Rough-legged,  44. 

Calandrella  brachydadyla,  3. 

Cambrian  Rocks  of  Dublin,  10,  23. 

Carboniferous  Limestone,  perfora- 
tions in,  62,  84,  118,  172. 

Carboniferous  Rocks  of  Dviblin,  63. 

Carcx  aquatilis  and  its  British  forms, 
48. 

Carcx  aquatilis  in  Ireland,  41. 

Cccrops  latreillii,  20. 


Centaury,  White,  144,  168. 
Centroloj)hus  p)ompilus,  146. 
Cephalo:.ia  francisci,  100,  192. 
Ccrthia  familiar  is  as  a  song-bird,  44, 

61. 
Cervus  gigantcus,  22,  44,  63. 
Clematis  vitalba,  25. 
Coleoptera  of  Armagh  district,  14, 
36,  57>  77.  97,  120,  142. 

Belfast  district,  21. 

Co.  Wexford,  168. 

Dublin  district,  22,  64,  103,  188. 

Holywood  district,  18,  42,  103. 

South  Louth,  158. 
Columba  cenas,  194. 
Cork  Nat.   Field  Club,   24,  40,   64, 

102,  128. 
Corn-crake,  126. 
Cosstcs  ligniperda,  40. 
County  Dublin,  Past  and  Present,  9, 

31,  53,  73,  90- 
Crake,  Spotted,  61. 

Crex  pratensis,  126. 

Crossbill  in  Ireland,  6,  28. 

feeding,  habits,  and  flight,  8. 

nesting,  30. 

song,  29. 

Parrot,  31,  82. 
Cuscuta  ejjithymwm,  18. 
Cygnus  musicus,  44. 

Dalkey  Island,  Flora  of,  133. 
Deep-sea  Dredging,  39. 
Dendrocopus  major,  83.    ■ 
Dictyopteris  polypodioides,  6. 
Dvplophyllum  obtusi/olium,  60. 
Doijegal  Basalts,  196. 

quartzites,  162,  184. 
Dublin,  County,  Past  and  Present, 

9,  31,  53,  73,  90- 
Dublin  Microscopical  Club,  20,  39, 

63,  79,  100,  193. 
Dublin  Nat.  Field  Club,  22,  40,  63, 

79,  loi,  128,  148,  167. 
Duck,  Ferriginous,  44. 

Eagle,  Golden,  83. 
Epinephile  hypcranthes,  125. 
Erythrusa  ccntaarcitni,  white,  144,  168. 
Estuarine   clays  of  N.  E.  Ireland, 
23,  138. 


VI 


Index. 


Falco  ccnchris,  3-. 

Flora  of  x\raii  Islands,  70. 

Dalkey  Island,  133. 

Lough  Erne,  iii. 

Ivough  Sheelin,  124. 

Mourne  Mountains,  24. 

Wexford,  103,  156,  181. 
Forests,  Irish,  ancient,  80. 
Fuligula  nyroca,  44. 
Fidmarus  y/acialis,  83. 
Fungi  from  Central  Ireland,  60. 

Lucan  and  Bray  district,  123. 

Galathea  strigosa,  18. 
Gallinago  ccelestis,  albino,  44. 
(kirrulus  ghtndarius,  44. 
Geology  of  Donegal,  195. 

Co.  Dublin,  9,  31,  53,  73,  90. 

Scalp,  40. 
Glacial  Beds  of  Dublin,  91. 

Gravels  of  Ballyrudder,  21. 
Godwit,  Black-tailed,  147 

Red,  62. 
Goosander,  19. 
Goose,  Pink-footed,  4. 
Granites  of  Co.  Dublin,  53. 
Gull,  Glaucous,  19,  129,  154. 

Iceland,  19,  126,  154,  195. 

Ivory,  83,  126. 
Gulls,    Iceland    and    Glaucous    in 
Ireland,  129,  154. 

Halosphcera  viridis,  5,  , 

Hare-rabbit,  hybrid,  147. 
Hcmitrypa  Mbcrnica,  100,  193. 
Hepatic£e  of  Ben  Bulben,  193. 

King's  and  Queen's  Cos.,  68. 
HicraciiDii  argcntcuDi,  24. 

auratum,  24. 
Hybrid  hare-rabbit,  147. 
Hymcnopliyllwii  tunbridgense,  168. 
HypRitm  filicinuDi  v.  vallisdauscc,  80. 

lanthina  rotioidata,  194. 

Jays,  44. 

Kestrel,  Lesser,  3. 

Lark,  short-toed,  3. 
Larus  cbiiriicus,  83,  126. 

glaucus,  9,  129,  154. 

leucoptcrvs,   19,   126,    129,   154, 

195- 
Lepidoptera  of  Co.  Dublin,  194. 

Howth,  170. 

Limerick,  40,  169. 

reappearances,  170. 
Leptocephalus  larvte  of  Conger,  43. 
Leucobryum  glaucum,  81. 
Lima  I'  flames,  1 26. 
Limuaa  bclgica,  147, 

mgocc2)hala,  62. 


Lough  Erne,  birds  of,  no. 
flora  of.  III. 
in  Camp  on,  no. 
Sheelin,  flora  of,  124. 
Swilly,  Birds  of,  173. 
Louth,  Weevils  of,  158. 
Loxia  curvirostra  in  Ireland,  6,  28. 
\.  piiyopsiltacus,  31,  82. 
Lvira  vulgaria,  27. 

Malachius  bijnistulatus,  125. 
Machetes  jMgnax,  194. 
Marten,  83. 
Mergus  merganser,  19. 
Molge  cristata,  82. 
Mollusca  from  Sligo,  170. 

Irish  Land  and  Fresh-water, 
45,  66,  87,  105,  135,  149, 177. 

land,  of  Donegal,  171. 

marine,  Irish,  60,  61,  170. 
Montacuta  daivsoni,  170. 
Mosses  of  Ben  Bulben  district,  194. 
Mils  hibernicus,  127,  172. 
Mustela  martcs,  83. 
Myrothecium  cincreum,  21. 
Myxotrichum  dcflcxum,  20. 

Ncoiinea  intacta,  102. 
Nerophis  cequore  us,  43 . 
Newt,  Warty,  82. 
Nymphon  gallicum,  40,  168,  193. 
Nyssia  zonaria,  40,  42. 

Oceanites  occanica,  4. 

Oceanodroma  leucorrhoa,  83. 

Octodactylus  inhcerens,  20. 

Odostomia  albella,  61. 

Oldhamia,  13. 

Ordovician  Rocks  of  Dublin,  31. 

Otter,  127. 

Owl,  Long-eared,  126,  146. 

Pcederus  riparius,  125, 
Perforations  in  Carboniferous  Lime- 
stone, 62,  84,  118,  172. 
Petrel,  Fork-tailed,  183. 
Fulmar,  171. 
Wilson's,  4. 
Phalarope,  Red-necked,  4. 
rhahiropiis  hypcrburcus,  4. 
Fhilonthi,  abnormal,  104. 
Photographing     Natural     History 

objects  without  a  camera,  25. 
Phoxichilidium fcmoratum,  1 68. 
Fhoxichilus  spiiiosus,  40,  42,  168. 
Phylloscopus  sibilatrix,  104,  126. 

siLp)C7xiliosus,  3. 
Pipe-fish,  ^quorial,  43. 

Greater,  43. 

Lesser,  43. 
Planorbis  riparius,  192. 
Plants  of  Dalkey  Island,  133. 

of  Wexford,  156,  i8i. 


Index 


Vll 


Plicmularia  halcciodcs,  193. 
Pogotrichum  hibernicum,  6. 
Porzana  maruetta,  61. 
Post-glacial  Estuarine  Deposits,  138. 
Poterium  sanguisorha,  81. 
Pricqnilus  caudatiis,  39. 
Proceedings  of  Armagh  Nat.  Hist, 
and  Phil.  Soc.  22,  39,  166. 

Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club,  21,  63, 

79,  100,  12S,  166,  194 
Belfast   Nat.    Hist,    and   Phil. 

Society,  21,  39,  193. 
Cork   Nat.  Field  Club,  24,  40, 

64,   102,   128. 
Dublin  Microscopical  Club,  20, 

39.  63,  79,  100,  193. 
Dublin  Nat.  Field  Club,  22,  40, 

63,  79,  loi,  128,  148,  167. 
Royal  Dublin  Society,  23,  79. 
Royal  Irish  Academy,  23,  41. 
Royal   Zoological  Soc.    20,  39, 
63,  79,  100,  128,  148,  166,  193. 
Pycnogonida,  40,  42,  168. 

Quartzites  and   Quartz-rocks,    162, 
184. 
of  Howth,  10. 
of  Donegal,  162,  184. 

Rat,  Irish,  127,  172. 

Rathlin  Island,  Birds  of,  50,  70,  87. 

Re-appearance  of  Butterflies,    145, 

170. 
Red-Shank,  Spotted,  147. 
Pihagium  hifasciatuiii,  82 
Robin,  American,  3. 
Rotifera,  Irish,  79 
Royal  Dublin  Society,  23,  79. 

Irish  Academy,  23,  41. 

Zoological  Society,  20,  39,  63, 
79,  100,  128,  148,  166,  193. 
Ruhus  avimobius,  24. 

chamcamoriis,  103,  124,  125. 
Ruff,  194. 

Sand-grouse,  83. 

Sandpiper,  Green,  62. 

Saxicola  rubctra,  82. 

Scalp,  Geology  of,  40. 

Scmrus  vulgaris,  127. 

Sea- weeds  from  West  coast  of  Ire- 
land, 4. 

Shamrock,  an  Attempt  to  fix  its 
Species,  95. 

Shamrock  of  Ireland,  1253 


Sheldrake  breeding  on  Lough  Krne, 
no,  146. 

Ruddy,  126,  147,  171. 
Shells,  Land,  170,  171. 

Irish   Land    and   Fresh-water, 
45,  66,  87,  105,  135,  149,  177. 

Marine,  60,  61,  170. 
Shoveller,  breeding,  126. 
Skua,  Pomatorine,  171.   . 
Siphonostoma  trjphle,  43. 
Snipe,  albino,  44. 
SjMttiJa  cly2)cata,  126. 
S2)ccularia  hybrida,  144. 
Spiranthes  romanzoffiana,  145. 
Sinrula  australis,  194. 
Squirrel,  127. 
Stachys  betonica,  168. 
Sterna  angHca,  4. 
Stint,  Little,  146. 
Stock-dove,  195. 
Sylvia  corriica,  3. 

nisoina,  3. 
Syngnathus  acus,  43. 
Syrrluqdes  jMradoxiis,  83. 

Tadorna  cornuta,  breeding,  146 
casarca  {mtila),  126,  147,  171. 

Tamus  communis,  102. 

Tcgenaria  hibernica,  20. 

Tern,  Gull-billed,  4. 

Totainisfuscus,  147. 
ochropus,  62. 

Tree-creeper  as  a  Song-bird,  44,  61 

Trichomancs  radicans,  41. 

Tringa  minuta,  146. 

Trochilium  crabroniformis,  40,  42. 

Turdus  migratorins,  3. 

Vaccinium  vitis-idcea,  18,  41. 

Vanessa  caixhd,  125,  170. 
io,  194 

Variolite  of  Annalong,  23. 

Velella,  195. 

Warbler,  Barred,  3. 

Wood,  104,  126. 

Yellow-browed,  3. 
Weevils  of  South  Louth,  158. 
Wexford,  Characteristic  Plants  of, 

156,  181. 
Whinchat,  82. 
Whitethroat,  Lesser,  3 
Whooper,  44. 
Woodpecker,  82,  104. 
Wren,  Wood,  104,  126. 

Xant/ndia,-2,9- 


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Vol..  I.  APRIIv,  1892.  No.  I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

In  issuing  the  first  number  of  the  "Irish  Naturai^ist," 
we  wish  to  acknowledge  most  gratefully  the  kind  en- 
couragement and  support  which  we  have  received  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Journal,  and  to  ask  the  cordial  help 
of  those  interested  in  Natural  Science  to  ensure  its  con- 
tinued success  and  progress. 

The  fact  that  no  Journal  of  the  kind  exists  in  the 
country,  is  sufficient  reason  for  our  undertaking.  Many 
observers  in  all  branches  of  Natural  History  are  to  be  found 
in  Ireland;  they  now  have  a  means  of  comparing  notes, 
and  making  known  to  the  public  the  results  of  their  work. 
Moreover,  Natural  Science  has  a  most  important  bearing, 
unrecognised  by  the  great  majority,  on  the  industries  of 
the  country;  we  hope  b}^  spreading  scientific  information, 
and  encouraging  scientific  tastes,  to  have  some  influence  for 
good  on  the  labours  of  the  people   generally. 

Residents  in  Ireland,  in  the  past,  have  done  much  to 
advance  a  knowledge  of  Natural  Science.  The  names  of 
TkmpIvKTon,  J.  V.  Thompson,  W.  Thompson,  Hauday,  Jukes, 
Harvey,  and  many  others,  will  always  be  honoured  by  Na- 
turalists. Yet  it  must  be  admitted  that  much  remains  to 
be  done  before  our  knowledge  of  the  fauna  and  flora  of  the 
country  can  be  considered  to  have  approached  completion. 
The  higher  groups,  indeed,  are  fairly  known,  but  the  lower 
animals  and  plants  present  an  immense  field  for  research, 
wherein  the  investigator  is  certain  to  be  rewarded  with  new 
records,  and  very  possibly  with  undescribed  species.  As 
for   geology,  there   will  always   be  room  for  research   there. 

Our  Journal  starts  with  the  support  of  all  the  Irish  Natu- 
ral  History  Societies.      The  governing  bodies  of  the  Royal 

A 


2  Introd^idoiy . 

Zoological  Societ}^  of  Ireland,  the  Belfast  Natural  History 
and  Philosophical  Societ}^  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club, 
the  Dublin  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  the  Dublin  Microscopical 
Club,  and  the  Armagh  Natural  Histor}"  and  Philosophical 
Society  have  passed  resolutions  according  a  heart}'  welcome 
to  the  new  magazine,  appointing  it  their  official  organ,  and 
urging  their  members  to  render  all  possible  assistance;  and 
the  officials  of  the  Ro3^al  Dublin  Society  and  Royal  Irish 
Academy  are  taking  an  active  and  friendly  interest  in  its 
welfare.  The  regular  publication  of  the  Proceedings  of  these 
Societies  in  our  pages  will  keep  our  readers  well  posted  up 
as  to  what  is  doing  in  Irish  scientific  circles. 

While  articles,  monographs,  and  local  lists  will  occupy 
a  considerable  portion  of  our  space,  we  would  especiall}^ 
invite  correspondence  and  discussion  on  obscure  problems 
in  Irish  Natural  Histor}',  and  the  communication  of  short 
notes  on  all  points  worth}^  of  record.  These  items  are 
invariabl}'  of  interest,  and  frequently  draw  forth  further  in- 
formation from   other  observers. 

For  the  present,  at  least,  our  usual  monthly  issue  will  con- 
sist of  sixteen  pages.  The  amount  of  material  already  in  our 
hands,  or  promised  at  an  early  date,  is  sufficient  to  justify 
an  issue  of  double  that  size  ;  but  it  is  thought  best  to  make 
z,  modest  beginning,  and  look  forward  to  enlarging  the 
Journal  when  a  matured  age  and  an  assured  circulation 
have  made  success  a  certaint}'.  To  ensure  this  result,  we 
appeal  with  confidence  to  Naturalists  both  in  Ireland  and 
elsewhere.  Though  our  records  w411  always  be  of  primary 
interest  to  those  resident  in  our  own  country,  we  believe 
they  will  also  be  of  value  to  workers  in  Great  Britain, 
Kurope,  and  America.  The  discovery  of  a  species  in  Ireland 
may  have  important  bearing  on  some  question  of  world-wide 
scientific  interest. 


As  we  go  to  press  we  receive  promise  of  support  from  the 
new  Naturalists'  Field  Club  at  Cork,  a  notice  of  the  establish- 
ment of  w^hich  will  be  found  on  p.  24.  We  heartily  wish  the 
Cork  society  a  prosperous  and  useful  career,  and  hope  that 
.other  centres  in  the  south  and  west  of  Ireland  may  soon 
follow  the  example  of  that  city. 


[     3     ]  ^ 

RECENT  ADDITIONS  TO  THE  EIST  OF  IRISH  BIRDS. 

BY  A.  G.  MORE,  F.I,.S. 


The  last  two  years  have  been  remarkably  productive  in  rare 
birds;  and  since  December  1889,  when  the  second  edition  of 
my  list  was  published,  no  less  than  nine  species  have  been 
added  to  the  Irish  avifauna.  All  these  have  been  recorded  at 
various  dates,  and  four  of  them  have  been  commented  on  by 
Mr.  Seebohm,  in  T/ie  Ibis,  for  October,  1891,  but  the  present 
seems  a  good  opportunity  for  bringing  together  the  whole,  so 
as  to  review  the  progress  which  has  been  made  in  so  short  a 
time.     The  nine  birds  are: — 

1.  Sylvia  nisoria,  Bechst. — Barrkd  Warbi^er.  One  was 
obtained  near  Belmullet,  Mayo,  so  long  ago  as  the  24tli  September, 
1884,  and  luckily  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  veteran  ornithologist, 
Dr.  J.  R.  Biirkitt  who,  being  doubtful  of  the  name,  gave  the  speci- 
men to  Mr.  R.  J.  Ussher,  and  the  bird  was  then  referred  to  me  for 
identification.  It  is  now  in  the  Science  and  iVrt  Museum  {Zoologist, 
1890,  p.  310). 

2.  Sylvia  curruca,  Linn. — LESSER  WkitEThroaT.  A  single 
specimen  was  obtained  by  Mr.  R.  M.  Barrington  from  the 
Lighthouse  on  Tearaght  Rock,  Kerry,  where  it  was  taken  on  the 
ist  October,  1890  [Zoologist,  1891,  p.  310).  This  is  a  striking  example 
of  a  bird  breeding  freely  in  many  parts  of  England,  extending 
northwards  to  the  South  of  Scotland,  but  which,  up  to  the  present 
time,  has  not  even  appeared  as  a  rare  visitor  in  Ireland.  Like  the 
Nightingale  (of  which  also  there  is  only  a  single  occurrence  re- 
corded in  Ireland),  the  Reed  Warbler  and  Tree-Pipit,  as  well  as  the 
Lesser  Whitethroat,  seem,  during  the  autumnal  migration,  to  find 
a  more  direct  route  to  the  Continent,  and  do  not  make  their  way 
westward  into  Ireland,  while,  apparently,  the  rare  stragglers  which 
visit  Ireland  in  the  late  autumn,  must  come  from  a  greater  distance 
than  the  opposite  shores  of  Great  Britain.  Some,  like  the  Yellowr 
browed  Warbler,  from  far  eastward;  others,  like  the  Black  Redr 
start  in  Ireland,  and  the  Fire-crested  Wren  in  Great  Britain,  from 
the  nearer  portion  of  the  European  Continent. 

3.  Pliylloscopus  superciliosus,  J.  F.  Gmel. — Yei,i.ow-brcwed 
W^-vrbi,er.     One  at  the  Tearaght  Rock  Lighthouse,  14th  October, 

1890,  now  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  R.  M.  Barrington,  making  the 
fourth  British  specimen  {Zoologist,  1 891,  p.  186). 

4r.  Calandrella  brachydactyla,  Leisl. — Short-Toed  Lark. 
One  captured  at  the  Blackrock  Lighthouse,  Co.  Mayo,  nth  October, 
1890  {Zoologist,  1891,  p.  186).  I  shall  never  forget  the  occasion  when 
my  friend,  Mr.  R.  M.  Barrington,  produced  from  one  small  bag 
three  such  extraordinary  prizes  as  the  vShort-toed  Lark,  the  Yellow- 
browed  Warbler,  and  a  Red-breasted  Fl3'catcher,  which  he  had  just 
received  from  his  correspondents  at  the  Irish  Lighthouses. 

5.  Turdus  migratorius,  Linn. — American  Robin.  An  adult 
male,  shot  at  vSpringmount,  vShankill,  Co.  Dublin,  4th  May,  1891, 
v.-as  brought  to  me  when  quite  fresh,  by  Mr.  E.  Williams  {Zoologist, 

1891,  p.  -219).  One  more  to  be  added  to  the  nineteen  Americaii 
birds,  which  have  been  obtained  in  Ireland.  It  is  now  in  the 
Dublin  INIuseum. 

6.  Falco  cenchris,  Naum.— LESSER  Kestrei..  One  shot  a£ 
Shankill,  Co.  Dublin,  17th  February,  1891,  had  been  noticed  several 


4  The  Irish  NahwaUst. 

times  during  the  winter  {Zoologist,  1S91,  p.  152).     It  was  brought  to 
me  for  identification  by  Mr,  Tank. 

7.  Phalaropus  hyperboreus,  Linn. — Red-necked  Phai^arope. 
One  shot  at  Lough  Gill}-,  Co.  Armagh,  was  received  by  Mr.  E. 
Williams  on  the  13th  November,  1892,  and  is  now  on  loan  at  the 
Science  and  Art  Museum  {Zoologist,  1892,  p.  28.) 

8.  Oceanites  oceanica,  Kuhl.— Wii^son's  Petrei..  One  at 
Mossdale,  Co.  Down,  2nd  October,  1891  (R.  Patterson  in  Zoologist, 
1891,  p.  427).  Another  on  Lough  Erne,  ist  October,  1891  {Zoologist, 
1891),  was  iDrought  to  me  when  quite  fresh,  by  Mr.  E.  Williams. 
A  large  flight  of  Petrels,  chiefly  the  Forktailed,  seem  to  have  passed 
over  Ireland  about  this  date.  And  Wilson's  Petrel  was  also,  for  the 
first  time,  obtained  in  Scotland,  on  the  ist  of  October  {Annals  of 
Scottish  Nat.  Hist.,  Januar}^  1892). 

9.  Anser  brachyrhjrnchus,  Baill. — Pink-footed  Goose.  One 
shot  on  Lough  S willy,  Co.  Donegal,  about  19th  October,  1891,  was 
sent  to  Mr.  Robert  Patterson,  wdio  was  thus  able  to  identify  the 
first  authentic  Irish  specimen  {Zoologist,  1892,  p.  33).  It  must  not 
be  forgotten,  however,  that  the  late  Sir  Victor  Brooke  had  pre- 
viously recognised  this  goose  in  Meath,  but  was  not  able  to  secure 
a  specimen. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  of  these  results  are  due  to  the 
observ^ations  carried  out  by  the  light-keepers  on  the  Irish 
Lighthouses,  from  1882  to  1889,  which  were  initiated  and  con- 
tinued chiefly  by  my  friend,  Mr.  R.  M.  Barrington.  And  we 
may  also  hope  that  research  has  in  some  degree  been  stimu- 
lated b}'  the  circulars  and  schedules  which  we  have  lately 
issued  in  preparation  for  a  new  work  on  the  Birds  of  Ireland, 
and  also  by  the  schedules  w4iich  have  been  circulated  by 
Messrs.  R.  PaJ:terson  and  R.  LI-  Praeger  for  their  forthcoming 
Fauna  of  Ulster. 

There  remains  one  bird  to  be  struck  off  the  list,  the  Gull- 
billed  Tern,  Sterna  anglica  Mont.,  which  was  erroneously 
announced  in  the  Zoologist  (1887,  p.  433),  as  having  occurred 
near  Belfast ;  but  this  specimen,  which  I  had  the  opportunity 
of  examining,  proves  to  be  an  Arctic  Tern,  in  an  unusual 
state  of  plumage,  being  apparently  a  late-hatched  bird  of  the 
previous  year,  which  has  nearly  attained  the  mature  plumage, 
but  in  which  the  black  bill  and  legs,  and  the  dark  feathers 
along  the  ridge  of  the  wing  remain  as  signs  of  immaturity ; 
and  I  may  add  that  Mr.  Barrett-Hamilton  has  shown  me  a 
very  similar  bird,  which  he  obtained  on  the  coast  of  Wexford. 


SEA- WEEDS  FROM  THE  WEST  COAST  OF  IRELAND. 

BY  PROP.   T.  JOHNSON,  D.  SC,  F.I,.S. 


SiNCK  the  publication  of  the  unrivalled  work — Phycologia 
■Britamiica — in  the  years  1846-52,  b}^  the  late  Professor  Harvey 
of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  one  hundred  species  have  been 
added  to  the  list  of  the  marine  Algae  of  the  British  Isles,  so 


Sea-iveeds  from  the  West  Coast  of  Ireland.  -5 

that  now  we  know  of  some  six  hundred  species.  This  addition 
is  mainly  due  to  the  researches  of  K.  M.  Holmes  and  K.  A.  I^. 
Batters,  who  have  published  a  very  useful  Revised  List  of  the 
British  Marine  Algce  in  the  Annals  of  Botany  (vol.  v.,  1890).  A 
year  ago  a  strong  committee  was  formed  for  the  investigation 
of  the  marine  flora  of  the  coast  of  Scotland.  This  committee 
is  at  present  confining  its  operations  to  the  Clyde  basin.  It  is 
very  much  to  be  desired  that  an  investigation  on  similar  lines 
should  be  carried  out  for  Ireland ;  the  south  and  west  coasts, 
more  especialh^,  would  amply  repay  investigation  in  the  light 
of  the  recent  discoveries  of  British  and  Continental  algologists. 
I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  accompany  for  a  time  the  s.s. 
'*  Harlequin,"  under  the  Rev.  W.  S.  Green,  in  its  fishery 
survey.  I  spent  a  fortnight  on  board  in  April,  1891,  and  went 
from  Galway  to  Sligo.  In  addition  to  the  acquirement  of  a 
large  and  valuable  quantity  of  sea-weeds  from  different 
localities  (which  pressure  of  other  duties  has  so  far  prevented 
me  from  working  out  fulhO,  I  got  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
coast,  which  I  could  not  have  obtained  in  au}^  other  way,  and 
which  will  prove  of  great  service  to  me  (and  to  others)  in 
future  algological  work.  This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  into 
details.  One  of  the  most  interesting  observations  was  the 
discovery  that  a  small  green  floating  ball,  the  size  of  a  pin- 
head,  constantly  present  in  the  tow-net  c^tQhQS,\\?iS  Halosphaera 
viridis,  Schmitz.  This  minute  alga  had  not  been  previously- 
found  on  the  coast  of  Ireland.  It  was  first  noticed  in  the  Gulf 
of  Naples,  and  was  known  there  for  some  3^ears  before  it  was 
examined  by  Schmitz,  who  gave  the  results  of  his  investigations 
in  the  Mitt.  Zool.  Stat.  Neapcl,  vol.  i.  Later  it  was  noticed  inde- 
pendently in  Phmiouth  Sound,  by  Mr.  J.  D.  Cunningham, 
from  whom  I  first  heard  of  it.  Its  life-history  is  incompletely 
known,  and  no  doubt  could  be  fully  investigated  in  Irish  waters ; 
it  was  found  round  the  whole  coast  by  Mr.  Holt.  I  was 
particularly  interested  in  succeeding  in  finding  it  in  a  tow-net 
catch  well  out  in  the  Atlantic,  twent3--seven  miles  west  of  Achill 
Island.  Its  importance  as  a  food-supply  for  the  smaller 
marine  organisms  must  be  ver}-  great.  So  far  as  one  can  say 
at  present,  its  season  is  from  March  to  the  end  of  June  ;  what 
happens  to  it  in  the  interval  is -not  known.  Two  French 
algologists,  the  distinguished  Dr.  Bornet  and  M.  Gomont,  have 
recently  discovered  in  the  group  Cyanophycece  several  genera 
which  possess  the  power  of  boring  into,  and  more  or  less 
completely  destro3'ing  the  calcareous  shells  of  various  molluscs. 
Happening  to  catch  the  low  tide  at  Galway  on  joining  the 
fisher>^  boat,  I  found  such  "  bored  "  shells  there,  as  well  as  at 
other  points  on  the  coast.  In  September  last  I  spent  a 
fortnight  in  sea-weed  work  on  the  coast  of  Clare,  chiefl}^  at 
Kilkee  and  Miltown  Malbay,  both  well-known  as  algal 
localities  to  readers  of  Harvey's  works.  Here  I  found  at  low 
tide  growing  on  Alaria  escnlenta,  and  in  all  stages,  d^Litosiphon- 

B 


6  The  Irish  Natui-alist. 

like  plant  which  is  new  to  science,  and  which  I  propose  to  call 
Pogotrichiun  hiberniciun.  J.  Reinke  of  Kiel,  to  whom  I  sent 
specimens,  tells  me  he  is  now  describing  for  the  first  time  the 
only  other  known  species,  P.  filifornic,  found  at  Heligoland. 
The  Irish  plant  shows  unilocular  and  plurilocular  sporangia,  < 
the  Heligoland  one  plurilocular  only.  At  Miltown  Malbay  I 
was  interested  to  find  tufts  oi  Dictyoptci'is  polypodioidcs,  Lamx, 
growing  as  an  intertidal  weed.  I  had  previously  gathered 
this  brown  alga  off  the  Mewstone  in  Plymouth  Sound,  in  12-15 
fathoms.  This  intertidal  habitat  on  the  coast  of  Clare  is  a 
marked  illustration  of  the  possibility  of  occurence  of  Spanish 
and  other  southern  weeds  on  the  south  and  west  coasts  of 
Ireland. 

Knough  has  been  said  to  shew  that  there  is  waiting  for 
readers  of  the  Irish  Naturalist,  a  field  of  investigation  sure 
to  3'ield  rich  and  interesting  results. 


THE   CROSSBII^L  {LOXIA    CURVIROSTRA,  L.) 

IN  IRELAND. 


BY     R.      T.     USSHKR 


In  studying  the  fauna  of  a  country',  one  of  the  most  interesting 
things  to  note  is  the  increase  or  decrease  of  certain  species, 
with  the  causes  of  these  changes.  The  decrease  of  such  birds 
as  the  two  Eagles,  the  Marsh  Harrier,  and  the  Quail,  being 
chiefl}'  the  work  of  man,  is  rapid  and  noticeable.  The  increase 
of  others,  due  rather  to  natural  causes,  is  more  gradual  and 
less  perceptible.  We  have,  however,  in  the  Crossbill  an  in- 
stance of  a  bird  whose  recent  marked  increase  has  been 
obser\"ed  in  our  four  provinces,  and  has,  within  the  last  few 
3^ears,  removed  it  from  the  categorj'  of  an  uncertain  visitant  to 
that  of  a  resident  .species. 

Thompson  can  quote  but  three  mentions  of  it  (as  a  straggler) 
in  the  last  century.  I  have  been  informed  by  old  residents  in 
Co.  Waterford,  that  about  the  year  1798,  great  flocks  of  Cross- 
bills visited  this  county  in  the  autumn,  and  committed  havoc 
among  the  orchards,  splitting  open  the  apples,  and  eating  the 
pips  only.    This  circumstance  my  father  often  described  to  me. 

Among  the  many  instances  of  the  Crossbill's  occurrence 
'from  1828  to  1846,  given  by  Thompson,  onl}'  two  presented 
evidence  which  satisfied  him  that  it  had  bred  in  the  country. 
In  April,  1856,  Mr.  Smyth  of  Headborough  shot  and  gave  me 
two  of  these  birds,  and  in  the  following  month  he  saw  several 
others  about  the  same  mountain  plantation  ;  but  it  was  not 
until  1867  that  nests  were  found,  at  Kilkea,  Co.  Kildare,  when 
the  steward  informed  Mr.  Blake  Knox  that  he  had  seen  Cross- 


The  Crossbill  (JLoxia  curvirostra,  L.)  i7i  Irela^id.  7 

bills  building  about  the  middle  of  February,  and  had  found 
four  nests,  two  of  which  contained  young  birds,  on  the  loth 
March  ;  and,  though  none  of  these  seem  to  have  escaped, 
there  were  many  young  birds  in  the  plantation  about  ist  May. 
Twenty  or  more  used  to  be  seen  at  a  time  until  the  middle  of 
summer,  when  they  all  left  (^Zoologist,  1868,  p.  1133). 

Up  to  this,  though  Crossbills  had  been  occasionally  noticed 
to  breed,  they  do  not  seem  to  have  remained  ;  but  Sir  Victor 
Brooke,  writing  to  me  in  August,  1890,  said — "The  Crossbill 
settled  in  Fermanagh  long  before  1888 — certainly  nearly  ten 
years  ago;"  and  in  March,  1891,  he  stated  that  it  breeds  there, 
and  has  been  numerous  within  the  last  twelve  years.  I  re- 
ceived, in  1 89 1,  statements  from  several  counties,  chiefly  in 
lycinster,  to  the  effect  that  Crossbills  have  been  established 
there  for  several  years,  that  they  are  seen,  both  young  and  old, 
at  different  seasons  of  the  year,  and,  in  most  cases,  that,  my  in- 
formants have  no  doubt,  they  breed.  Mrs.  Croasdaile  places 
their  advent  into  Queen's  Co.  as  far  back  as  September,  1886. 
Dr.  Donovan  saw  them  at  Glandore,  West  Cork,  all  through 
1887  and  1888.  Mr.  Patten,  of  Bray,  mentions  loth  July,  1888, 
as  the  date  when  he  observed  the  first  flock  of  about  twenty-five, 
old  and  young.  In  that  year,  Mr.  Kane  heard  that  a  pair  fre- 
quented a  demesne  in  Westmeath,  and  had  haunted  the  place 
for  four  years  previously;  while  Captain  D'Arcy-Irvane,  speak- 
ing of  Fermanagh,  Col.  Cooper,  of  Co.  Sligo,  Mrs.  Battersby, 
of  Westmeath,  Dr.  Benson,  of  the  adjoining  parts  of  Dublin 
and  Wicklow,  and  Mr.  Digby,  of  King's  Co.,  all  mention  the 
increase  of  the  Crossbill  in  their  districts  of  late  years,  and  ex- 
press their  conviction  that  it  breeds  therein.  .  The  occurrence 
of  Crossbills  has  also  been  reported  to  me  from  Donegal, 
lyOndonderr}^  Down,  and  Gahvay,  and  Mr.  E.  Williams  notes 
them  also  from  Tipperar>^,  Cavan,  and  Edenderry.  In  1888, 
Mr.  de  Vismes  Kane,  being  at  Monkstown,  Co.  Cork,  was  shown 
a  tree  in  which  Crossbills  were  said  to  have  nested  that  season. 

In  June  and  July,  1888,  a  remarkable  migration  of  Crossbills 
into  Western  Europe  took  place.  The}"  were  observ^ed  at 
Heligoland  in  June,  at  lighthouses  and  lightships  and  the 
coast,  east  side  of  England,  and  in  the  Hebrides,  in  July  (ZooL, 
1888,  p.  349).  About  the  same  time  they  invaded  eastern  France 
{ZooL,  1889,  p.  70).  This  should  be  borne  in  mind  in  con- 
nection with  their  increase  in  Ireland  ever  since  1888,  and 
their  settlement  in  localities  where  they  were  previously 
unknown. 

My  first  record  of  Crossbills  here  at  Cappagh,  was  that  of 
five,  seen  by  my  men,  drinking  at  the  stream  below  this  house, 
on  the  26th  December,  1887.  Several  were  shot  near  Cloyne, 
Mallow,  and  Doneraile,  during  January  and  February',  1888  ; 
and  on  the  6th  April  I  received  one  from  Cappoquin,  five  miles 
from  here.  On  the  13th  November,  I  made  my  first  acquaint- 
ance with  these  birds  feeding  in  n\y  plantations,  and  they  have 


8  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

ever  since  then  remained,  and  bred  3'ear  after  3"ear.  Their 
appearance,  a  thing  now  of  common  occurrence  ever^'-  month 
in  the  year,  has  become  exceedingly  familiar.  Indeed  I  know 
no  bird  of  its  size  that  attracts  notice  more  quickly  than  the 
Crossbill,  when  it  is  once  known.  Though  its  flight  is  usually 
above  the  level  of  the  tree-tops,  its  loud,  rattling  call-note 
makes  one  look  out  for  it  when  almost  out  of  sight.  Its  mode 
of  fl3'ing,  too,  is  peculiar.  It  alternatel}"  strikes  out  fully  with 
a  strong  vibration  of  its  wings,  and,  closing  them,  it  sinks  a 
little,  to  recover  itself  again  b}^  another  effort  of  its  wings,  thus 
performing  a  series  of  measured  undulations  in  its  course  from 
hill  to  valley,  or  from  wood  to  wood.  Its  large  round  head, 
with  a  distinct  neck,  is  often  distinguishable  when  it  is  perched 
at  some  distance,  and  its  singular  beak  gives  it  the  appearance 
of  holding  something  in  its  mouth.  I  look  on  the  reds  and 
greens  of  Crossbills'  plumage,  as  protective  colouring.  On  the 
8th  Februar}',  I  was  attracted  by  the  notes  of  a  Crossbill  re- 
cording, when,  peering  into  the  branches  of  the  Scotch  firs, 
I  found  that  the  bird  was  sitting  unconcernedl}',  quite  near 
me,  its  russet  plumage  corresponding  with  the  ruddy  hue  of 
the  bark. 

A  flock  of  Crossbills  feeding  is  described  b}^  Mr.  Ellison,  who 
met  with  them  in  this  county,  near  Clonmel,  in  June,  1889, 
and  near  Shillelagh,  Co.  Wicklow,  the  following  month  {^Zool- 
ogist, 1889,  p.  76). 

I  quote  the  following  from  my  own  journal,  26tli  November, 
1889 — "About  II  a.m.  I  saw  sixteen  circling  about  over  the 
plantations  on  the  hills  (Cappagh),  and  finally  alighting  on  the 
tops  of  larch  at  the  edge  of  a  grove.  At  first,  several  remained 
like  sentinels  on  the  tree-tops,  but  soon  all  were  bus}^  among  the 
branches,  twisting  open  the  cones.  I  crept  close  to  these  trees, 
w^hile  the  Crossbills,  after  satisf3'ing  themselves  on  one  tree, 
flew"  by  ones  and  twos  to  a  tree  nearer  to  me.  In  the  sunshine 
I  could  see  several  red  birds,  and  others  that  were  yellow-green. 
The  busy  and  happ3^  appearance  of  these  Crossbills,  their 
bright  colours  and  curious  beaks  and  attitudes,  were  a  sight  to 
delight  any  lover  of  nature.  One  bird  went  to  work  on  a  cone, 
to  which  he  had  to  bend,  with  his  head  down  under  the  twig 
he  was  on,  each  time  he  extracted  a  seed.  Another  bird  would 
fly  from  tree  to  tree,  carr3'ing  a  cone  in  its  beak,  and  then 
would  hold  it  on  a  branch  with  its  foot,  while  picking  it  to  bits. 
They  w^ere  all  life,  fluttering,  feeding,  and  crying,  *'  gip,  gip  " 
occasionall5\  Suddenly,  of  their  own  accord,  the}'  took  wing 
to  perform  one  of  their  airv^  dances,  all  uttering  their  loud  call- 
note.  Their  flight  at  such  times  is  much  more  measured  than 
that  of  other  finches.  They  seem  to  luxuriate  in  it,  and  to 
beat  time  b}'  the  successive  impulses  of  their  wings.  It  is 
strange  to  watch  one  of  these  large  Crossbills  go  far  out  on  a 
swa^nng  spraj"  of  larch  (perhaps,  head  downwards),  bite  off  a 
cone,  carry  it  to  a  more  steady  part  of  the  branch  to  dissect  it, 


The  Crossbill  (Loxia  curvi?vstra,  Z.)  in  Ireland.  g 

beginning  at  its  apex,  then  let  it  drop  and  go  for  another  cone, 
or  use  its  beak  in  climbing  like  a  parrot. 

I  have  seen  a  flock  on  the  8th  November,  feeding  on  the' 
immature  bunches  of  the  iv}^  from  which  the  blossoms  had  re- 
cently fallen,  that  grew  on  low  ash-trees  by  the  road-side.  The}^ 
have  also  been  seen  earl}^  in  the  5'ear  feeding  on  the  ground 
beneath  a  willow  covered  with  catkins.  On  4th  April,  I 
watched  a  Crossbill  feeding  on  the  expanded  buds  of  the 
larch,  which,  at  that  time,  are  favourite  food,  and  with  which 
I  think,  they  feed  their  3'oung.  Mr.  Ellison  saj^s  he  has  seen 
them  feeding  on  the  catkins  of  large  elms  in  June.  I  have 
never  known  them  to  attack  apples,  as  my  father  described, 
the  orchards,  then  numerous  here,  resounding  that  season 
with  the  "  crack,  crack"  of  splitting  and  falling  fruit.  At  that 
time  the  planting  of  fir  and  larch  had  not  commenced  here 
on  a  large  scale,  and  the  birds,  as  Thompson  suggests,  were 
probabl}^  driven  to  feed  on  apple-pips,  for  want  of  the  more 
acceptable  seeds  of  conifers.  There  can  be  no  doubt  indeed  that 
the  increase  and  settlement  of  Crossbills  in  Ireland  is  due  to 
the  increase  of  mature  seed-bearing  fir  and  larch  woods. 

(TO  B^  CONTINUED.) 


COUNTY  DUBININ,  PAST  AND  PRESKNT. 

BY  PROF.   GRKNVII.I.E  A.  J.   COIyK,   F.G.S. 


Introductory. 

The  following  short  papers,  dealing  with  a  limited  area,  may 
possibly  serv^e  the  wider  purpose  of  illustrating  how  the  geolo- 
gical history  of  any  district  may  be  gradually  Vv^orked  out  by 
successive  obser\"ations,  and  how  newproblems  will  continually 
arise  as  an  encouragement  to  additional  research.  In  the 
field  of  historical,  as  well  as  mineral  geolog\%  the  individual 
Irish  naturalist  has  scope  in  every  county.  The  development 
of  libraries  in  the  cities  provides  the  means  of  learning  what 
has  been  already  done ;  and  hence  I  have  not  spared  references 
to  original  papers,  since  the  personality  and  true  merits  of 
earlier  workers  can  never  be  grasped  by  a  perusal  of  a  mere 
outline  of  their  results.  It  is,  indeed,  cheering  to  an3^one  who 
may  undertake  local,  and  often  laborious,  investigation,  to  feel 
that  he  is  one  of  a  great  band  of  observ^ers,  who  have  compiled, 
during  the  present  century,  the  pre-historic  annals  of  Ireland. 
Since  references  to  certain  journals  may  be  frequent,  the 
abbreviation  G.S.D.  will  be  used  for  the  Journal  of  the  Geolo- 
gical Society  of  Dublin,  and  G.S.I,  for  its  successor,  tho:  Journal 
of  the  Royal  Geological  Society  of  Ireland,  commencing  in  1864. 
The  papers  in  the  latter  journal  will  also  be  found  in  the 


lO 


The  Irish  Naturalist. 


Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  for  corresponding  A^ears. 
It  should  also  be  stated  that  these  notes  on  the  geology  of  Co. 
Dublin  are  based  on  a  course  of  evening  lectures  given  in  the 
Royal  College  of  Science  for  Ireland  in  the  present  3'ear. 
Several  wider  geological  considerations  were  then  introduced, 
which  it  is  here  convenient  to  omit. 


I. — Thk  Cambrian  Period. 

The  oldest  rocks  in  Co.  Dublin  are  those  of  Howth  and  the 
great  tract  stretching  from  near  Shankill  southward  into  Co. 
Wicklow,  and  including  there  Bray  Head  and  the  Sugarloaves. 
The}'  form  a  series  of  shales  and  quartzites,  which  underlie  the 
Ordovicians  (Lower  Silurians),  and  which,  consequently,  are  of 
Cambrian  age,  or  even  older.  In  the  crumpled  and  wrinkled 
shales  we  can  recognise  the  deposits  of  an  old  mudd}'  sea;  these 
rocks,  so  well  seen  at  Bra}-,  were  once  mere  soft  cla3'S,  which 
have  since  been  consolidated  by  the  pressure  of  other  rocks 
deposited  on  them,  and  have  been  folded  and  squeezed  during 
long  periods  of  earth-movement.  Not  only  were  they  bent  and 
uptilted  before  the  Ordovician  sea  washed  against  their  flanks, 
but  they  have  since  been  subject  to  all  the  movements  that 
have  affected  the  floor  of  the  country  up  to  the  present  day. 
And  these  movements,  as  we  shall  see,  have  been  considerable 
and  repeated. 

The  hard  quartzites  and  "quartz-rocks"  associated  with  the 
shales,  present  some  difficult  features.  On  the  south  side  of 
Howth,  east  of  the  Needles,  pink  sandstones  can  be  seen 
beautifully  folded ;  and  one  bed  lies  regularly  upon  another, 
clearly  deposited,  layer  upon  layer,  in  the  same  sea  as  that 

Fig.   I. 


Weathering  of  jointed  quartzite,  north  of  Ireland's  Eye,  from  Howth. 

which  formed  the  shales.  And  the  pocket-lens,  and,  still 
better,  the  microscope  applied  to  thin  sections  of  the  rock, 
show  how  even  the  harder  masses  are  made  up  of  grains  of 


County  Dublin^  Past  and  Present. 


II 


quartz-sand,  like  those  of  modern  beaches,  with  here  and  there 
a  little  pebble,  the  whole  being  cemented  by  silica  into  the 
quartzite  that  we  now  find. 

While  examining  these  ver>^  ancient  deposits,  now  cemented 
together  and  contorted,  we  can  picture  to  ourselves  the  rivers 
bringing  down  sand  and  mud  into  the  sea,  which  sifted  out 
the  materials,  as  it  does  now,  and  spread  them  out  in  strata 
on  the  quiet  floor.  There  are  no  signs  of  the  huge  flood- waves 
and  whirling  catastrophes  which  some  of  the  earlier  geologists 
invoked  to  account  for  the  vast  masses  of  material  deposited 
during  geological  time  ;  we  are  dealing  with  rocks  at  least  as 
old  as  the  oldest  known  traces  of  living  things,  and  we  find 
ourselves,  notwithstanding,  studying  conditions  marv^ellously 
like  our  own,  and  very  far  indeed  from  the  time  when  the  crust 
of  the  earth  began  first  to  cool  around  a  molten  ball. 

But  further  examination  of  the  quartzites  shows  that  they  do 
not  always  lie  regularly,  as  the}^  should,  among  the  shales.  On 
Howth  itself,  where  they  often  look  so  distinctly  stratified,  the 
late  Mr.  John  Kelly, ^  in  a  paper  full  of  accurate  observations, 
held  that  they  were  originally  quartz-rocks  lying  lower  than 

Fig,  2. 


Bed  of  quartzite  in  slate,  east  of  the  ISTeedles,  Howth,  The  shale  has 
become  cleaved  under  earth-pressure,  and  has  passed  into  slate ;  but  the 
resisting  quartzite  has  become  folded  and  broken  up.  Further  move- 
ment would  leave  mere  "ej-es"  of  quartzite  surrounded  by  slate. 
Dimensions  of  surface  drawn,  about  25  cm.  square. 

the  shales,  and  that  they  had  been  intruded  into  the  latter  in 
a  "semifluid  or  plastic"  condition  by  "volcanic  or  other  ex- 
pansive power."     Mr.  G.  H.  Kinahan^  has  also  contended  that 


1  "On  the  quartz  rocks  of  Co.  Wicklow,"  C.  S.  D.  v.  (1S53),  pp.  240  and 

255. 

2  "Geology  of  Ireland,"  pp.  14  and  196. 


12  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

the  quartz-rocks  are  intrusive  and  d^'ke-like,  not  ordinary 
altered  sediments.  But  when  we  consider  how  mau}^  thrusts 
and  squeezes  these  ancient  rocks  have  had  to  bear,  it  seems  far 
more  probable,  as  Prof.  Sollas  has  shown/  that  the  hard 
resisting  quartzites  have  been  broken  up  under  the  stress,  and 
that  the  softer  and  more  yielding  cla3\s  have  flowed  round 
about  them  ;  so  that  a  mass  of  quartzite  may  be  found  quite 
out  of  its  proper  position,  and  even  cutting  across  the  .strati- 
fication of  the  shales,  instead  of  conforming  to  it.  The  real 
sandy  origin  of  these  quartzites  can  again  and  again  be 
proved,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  gritty  mass  on  the  summit  of 
the  great  Sugarloaf,  or  as  Mr.  T.  Oldhanr  pointed  out  as  early 
as  1844,  when  he  produced  pebbles  from  the  quartz-rock  of 
Bray.  The  dislocations  and  faults'*  are  proofs  of  the  power  of 
the  earth-movements,  and  the  microscope,  as  Prof.  Sollas  has 
shown,  reveals  the  same  thing  in  the  minutest  details,  the  old 
sand-grains  being  ground  to  powder  on  their  edges  and 
becoming  cracked  and  elongated,  as  in  all  hard  rocks  in  which 
the  particles  have  been  forced  into  a  kind  of  flow. 

If,  then,  these  basement-rocks  of  Co.  Dublin  are  merely 
altered  marine  deposits,  there  must  have  been  a  land  formed 
of  still  earlier  rocks,  on  the  shore  of  which  the}'  were  laid 
down.  This  .shore  still  remains  concealed,  but  Prof.  Sollas 
has  already  been  engaged  in  elucidating  its  position.  Very 
possibly  it  was  in  part  made  of  the  old  crushed  and  foliated 
schistose  rocks,  which  are  exposed  in  the  western  counties, 
and  which  underlie  the  Cambrian  in  their  typical  region, 
Wales. 

The  Cambrians  of  Cambria  contain  fossils,  limited  in  species, 
but  covering  a  fair  range  of  forms.  We  have  abundant 
Brachiopods,  particularly  Lingulclla,  the  close  ally  of  the  living 
Lin 021  la  ;  rare  lyamellibranchs  and  Gastropods  ;  Thcca,  which 
may  prove  to  be  something  between  a  Gastropod  and  a  Cepli- 
alopod ;  Orthoceras,  the  old  straight  representative  of  the 
Pearly  Nautilus ;  and  numerous  Trilobites,  the  well-known 
animals  which  died  out  in  the  Carboniferous  period,  but 
which  seem  to  have  been  the  lords  of  creation  in  early  Cam- 
brian times.  Since  they  probably  stand  as  links  between  the 
Crustacea  and  the  Arachnida,  and  would  doubtless  be  disowned 
nowadays  both  by  the  scorpion  and  the  woodlouse,  it  is  clear 
that  the  life  of  the  Cambrian  period  ma}^  be  regarded  as  primi- 
tive, however  abundant.  Primitive,  but  in  no  wa}'  primordial; 
for  alread}^  geologists  have  fixed  the  base  of  the  Cambrian 
rocks  b}^  the  presence  of  a  particular  Trilobite,  Olcncllus,  and 
the  "Olenellus-fauna,"  or  group  of  species  found  in  association 
with  OlcncUus,  marks  an  horizon  below  which  research  is  being 

"^  Proc.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc.  vii.,  part  3. 

2  "  On  the  rocks  at  Bray  Head,"  G.  S.  D.  iii.,  p.  60. 

^See  Map  of  Bray  Head,  by  G.  A.  Kinahan.  G.  S.  I.  vi.,  pi.  vii. 


County  Diiblifi,  Past  and  Prese^it.  -  -13 

actively  pushed  forward.  The  lyongmynd  rocks  of  Shropshire 
will  probably  have  to  be  thrust  out  into  the  pre-Cambrian  ;  and 
Prof.  Blake'  has  wished  to  honour  the  rocks  of  Bray  and 
Howth  b}^  assigning  to  them  a  similar  antiquit}^ 

This  great  series  of  rocks,  amounting  to  some  z],ooo  feet  in 
thickness,  has  yielded,  however,  little  in  the  way  of  fossils. 
Worm-tubes  have  been  carefully  described  from  Bra}^  and 
Howth,  and  have  been  distinguished  by  names  which  exalt 
them  to  the  rank  of  fossil  genera.  Tubes  as  much  as  two  feet 
long  have  thus  been  observed  by  Dr.  J.  R.  Kinahan  at  Bray;^ 
and  the  same  author  has  believed  that  casts  of  the  crown  of 
tentacles  which  occur  around  the  head  of  many  worms,  such 
as  the  modern  Serpula,  are  traceable  in  certain  diagonal  mark- 
ings in  the  fossil,  called  by  him  Histioderma?  Haughtonia 
consists  of  clustered  worm-tubes  found  at  the  north  end  of 
Bray  Head.^ 

The  fame  of  the  Irish  Cambrians  has,  however,  gone  out 
into  all  the  w^orld  through  the  discover}^  by  Dr.  T.  Oldham, ^  in 
1844,  of  "small  zoophytic  markings"  in  the  slates  of  Bra3^ 
Prof.  Forbes  named  these  Oldhamia  four  years  later,^  and  two 
species  were  established.  Dr.  J.  R.  Kinahan,  however,  first 
accurately  figured  and  described  them,^  adding  a  third  species 
discreta,  and  confirming  the  general  impression  that  the  organism 
was  h^'drozoan,  resembling  the  Sertularians.  Considering  how 
minutely  wrinkled  the  rocks  of  Bray  have  become  by  earth- 
pressures,  the  question  of  the  organic  nature  of  Oldhamia  has 
been  several  times  raised  ;  and  Prof.  Sollas^  has  recently  sug- 
gested that  comparison  may  fairly  be  made  between  its 
structure  and  the  delicate  folds  produced  b}^  incipient  cleavage 
in  some  metamorphic  rocks.  But  the  radial  series  of  wTinkles 
described  as  O.  radiata  remains  unexplained ;  and,  as  Mr.  G. 
H.  Kinahan^  remarks,  why  should  Oldhamia,  if  inorganic,  be 
confined  to  the  Irish  Cambrians  ?  Clearly  we  have  here  a 
subject  which  may  be  in  the  end  conclusively  elucidated  by 
local  research.  Oldhainia  aiitiqua  has  been  found  at  Puck's 
Rocks,  Howth  ;  and  both  the  well  know^n  species  are  widely 
vSpread  in  Co.  Wicklow.  The  search  for  Oldhamia  may  also  be 
fruitful  in  revealing  traces  of  other  organisms ;  if  not  Olenellus 
and  its  associates,  y^X.  perhaps  something  even  more  ancient  and 
more  interesting.     Mr.  Jolj^'s  paper/"  pointing  out  a  curious 

^  "The  Monian  System  of  Rocks,"  Qiiar.  Journ.  GcoL  Soc.  London,  xliv. 
(1888),  p.  534. 
"■  G.  S.  D.  vii.  (1856),  p.  185. 
^  lb.  viii.,  p.  70. 

*  Misprinted  "  Howtli "  in  the  original  paper,  G.  S.  D.  viii.,  p.  116. 
^  G.  S.  D.  iii.,  p.  60. 
^  lb.  iv.,  p.  20. 

7  lb.  viii.  (1858),  p.  69,  and  Trans.  Roy.  Irish  Acad,  xxiii.,  p.  547. 

8  lb.  vii.,  pp.  171  and  174. 

9  "  On  Oldhamia,"  G.  S.  I.  vii.,  p.  166. 
^0  G.  S.  I.  vii.,  p.  176. 


H 


The  Irish  Naturalist. 


relation  between  the  impressed  and  elevated  examples  of 
Oldhaniia,  should  be  carefully  noted  ;  thus,  in  a  number  of 
cases  at  au}^  rate,  on  the  upper  surface  of  a  slab  O.  radiata 
appears  as  a  depression,  while  O.  atitiqua  is  in  relief;  nor  does 
the  latter  seem  to  lie  alwa^'s  on  a  plane  of  bedding,  since  it 
branches  continually  over  irregularities  of  the  rock.  Like  so 
man}^  reputed  ancient  organisms,  Oldhamia  stands  upon  its 
trial  ;  and  the  jury  should  assuredly"  be  called  from  the 
naturalists  of  Co.  Dublin,  who  are  in  a  position  to  examine 
minutely  the  scenes  of  its  alleged  career. 

Fig.  3- 


Outline  of  the  Cambrian  country  of  Co.  Wicklow,  from  Howth.  Bray 
Head  on  left,  the  Sugarloaves  farther  to  right.  Granite  of  Dalkey  and 
Kilhney  in  foreground. 

(TO  BE   CONTINUED.) 


THE  COLEOPTERA  OF  THE  ARMAGH  DISTRICT. 

BY  REV.  W.  F.  JOHNSON,  M.A.,  F.E^.S. 


In  compiling  the  following  list  I  have  confined  mj^self  to 
the  area  contained  within  a  five-mile  radius  of  the  city  of 
Armagh.  The  greater  number  of  the  species  have,  however, 
been  taken  within  two  or  two  and  a-half  miles  distance. 

The  surface  of  the  district  is  of  an  extremely  undulating 
character,  so  that  while  there  are  not  any  great  heights,  there 
is  scarcel}^  any  level  ground  of  large  extent.  The  general 
surface  rises  towards  the  south  in  the  direction  of  the  Vicar's 
Cairn,  and  falls  towards  the  north  in  the  direction  of  Eougli- 
gall.  The  geological  formation  is  almost  entirel}'  Carboniferous 
Limestone.  "  .  -• 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Armagh  Disf)icf.  15 

A  large  portion  of  the  land  is  under  cultivation,  but  con- 
siderable tracts,  especially  close  to  Armagh,  are  used  entirely 
for  grazing. 

The  most  distant  localities  mentioned  are  lyoughgall  and  the 
Vicar's  Cairn,  which  are  each  about  four  and  a-half  miles  from 
Armagh.  At  lyoughgall  my  hunting  ground  has  been  in  the 
Manor  grounds,  along  the  edge  of  the  lake  (Lough  Gall)  which 
gives  its  name  to  the  village.  The  Vicar's  Cairn  is  the  highest 
point  in  the  district,  being  819  feet  above  the  sea  level;  the 
specimens  w^ere  obtained  from  moss  taken  from  the  summit, 
lyowry's  Lough  is  the  source  of  the  town  water  suppl}^  and 
lies  a  good  deal  higher  than  Armagh,  being  331  feet  above  the 
sea  level,  while  the  highest  point  in  Armagh  is  239,  and  the 
lowest,  134  feet  above  sea  level.  In  the  summer  the  water  of 
the  lake  foils  considerably,  and  on  the  beach  thus  left  swarm 
quantities  of  beetles. 

MuUinure  is  a  tract  of  low-lying  marshy  ground  falling  to 
102  feet  above  sea  level.  The  main  portion  is  never  cultivated, 
a  crop  of  indifferent  hay  being  taken  off  it,  and  a  few  cattle 
grazed.  As  it  lies  so  low  it  is  ver>^  liable  to  floods,  and  on 
these  occasions  a  rich  harvest  of  beetles  is  to  be  obtained  from 
the  debris  washed  up  by  the  rising  waters.  It  is  about  half  a 
mile  from  my  house,  and  is,  consequently,  very  frequently 
visited,  being  accessible  and  very  productive  of  Coleoptera.  I: 
have  found  that  working  one  spot  constantly  is  a  sure  way  of 
getting  good  species,  provided,  of  course,  that  the  locality  is  a 
suitable  one.  It  will  be  noticed  that  Mullinure  and  Lowry^'s 
Lough  have  had  most  of  my  attention,  and  the  result  speaks 
for  itself.  Drummanmore  is  practically  a  continuation  of  Mul- 
linure, being  the  adjoining  townland.  Towards  the  east  there 
rises  a  steep  hill  which  falls  as  sharply  into  a  valley,  in  which 
lie  Drummanmore  lake  and  Edenmore,  or  Drummanbeg  lake. 
Loughnashade  is  on  the  western  side  of  Armagh.  It  is  a  small 
lake  close  to  the  well-known  Navan  Fort.  The  marshy  ground 
adjoining,  and  the  drains  running  into  the  lake,  have  produced 
several  good  species.  The  Folly  is  a  kind  of  public  park  just 
outside  the  town,  with  a  little  stream  running  through  it, 
w^hich  further  down  its  course  is  called  the  Dean's  River, 
where  it  flows  past  what  used  to  be  the  Deanery,  but  is  now 
called    Dean's    Hill. 

There  are  upwards  of  700  species  in  my  list,  representing  all 
the  great  divisions  of  the  British  Coleoptera.  The  Longicornia 
are,  however,  only  represented  by  one  species,  owing  to  the 
district  being  unsuited  to  them,  from  the  absence  of  any  large 
tract  of  wood. 

Of  the  species  in  my  list,  246  appear  not  to  have  been  re- 
corded from  elsewhere  in  Ireland;  this  is  merely  because  I 
have  been  working  here  steadily  all  the  year  roimd  since  1884, 
while  other  districts  have  either  not  been  touched,  or  worked 
only  for  a  short  time.  ^ 


1 6  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

The  specimens  have  all  been  captured  b}^  myself,  with  Mrs. 
Johnson's  assistance,  except  a  few  that  were  picked  up  by 
some  of  ni}^  pupils,  and  brought  to  me.  Notices  of  most  of 
those  mentioned  will  be  found  in  the  Entomologisf  s  Monthly 
Magazine  from  1884  to  the  present  time.  No  full  list  has, 
however,  y^X.  been  published  of  the  Coleoptera  of  the  district, 
and,  so  far  as  I  know,  this  is  the  largest  list  of  Irish  Coleoptera 
yet  published.  That  of  the  Dublin  district,  published  in  1878, 
for  the  British  Association,  contains  623  species,  and  Mr. 
Haliday's  list,  published  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Belfast  Natu- 
ralists' Field  Club  for  1885,  contains  528  species.  Both  these 
lists  cover  much  more  extensive  districts,  yet  mine  is  larger, 
and  for  the  reason  I  have  mentioned  above — that  my  work  has 
been  continuous,  at  one  spot,  all  the  year  round. 

I  hope  that  this  list,  as  showing  what  a  little  earnest  work 
can  produce,  may  stir  up  others  to  investigate  the  Coleoptera 
of  their  districts.  I  have  been  for  some  time  trying  to  com- 
pile a  complete  list  of  the  Coleoptera  of  Ireland,  but  have  found 
great  difficulty  from  lack  of  materials.  I  shall,  therefore,  be 
ver}^  glad  to  hear  of  anyone  taking  up  the  study  of  this  order, 
and  I  shall  be  only  too  happ}-  to  give  any  help  I  can  to  any 
such  intending  coleopterist.  In  the  present  list  I  have  followed 
the  nomenclature  and  arrangement  adopted  by  Canon  Fowler 
in  his  work  on  the  Coleoptera  of  the  British  islands. 


CARABID^. 

Cyclirus  rostratus,  L. — Beech  Hill  in  moss — not  common. 
Carabus  nemoralis,  Miill.         1  ^  ,,  i,      ^  ^-  4^  ;«^ 

C.  granulatus,  L.  }  C^^i^^^i  throughout  district. 

Notiophiliis  bigiittatus,  Fab. — Common  throughout  district. 

N.  substriatus,  Wat. — Lowry's  Lough,  INIulUnure,  Palace  Demesne. 

N.  quadrigiittatus,  Dej. — Palace  Demesne — rare. 

N.  aquaticus,  L. — MuUinure  in  moss — not  common. 

N.  palustris,  Duft, — MuUinure,  Kdenmore,  in  moss — fairly  common. 

Leistus  fulvibarbis,  Dej. — Drumbee,  Beech  Hill,  in  moss — not  common. 

L.  rufescens,  V. — MuUinure,  Kdenmore,  Dean's  Hill,  sweeping  and  in 
moss — not  common. 

Nebria  brevicollis,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

N.  gfyllenhalii,  Sch. — MuUinure,  Killooney — not  common. 

Pelophila  borealis,  Payk, — Lowry's  Lough,  under  stones  and  among 
plants  on  edge  of  lake  from  April  to  October.  I  took  a  single  spe- 
cimen in  flood  rubbish  at  MuUinure  in  April,  1891.  It  is  most 
plentiful  in  June  and  July. 

Blethisa  multipunctata,  L. — Lo\vrj''s  Lough,  under  stones  and  plants  on 
muddy  parts  of  lake  shore— not  common. 

Elaphrus  riparius,  L.  \  Lowry's  Lough,  and  on  muddy  margins  of 

Z:.  cupreus,  Duft.  )      various  ponds — common. 

Loricera  pilicornis,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

Clivina  fossor,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

DyscMrius  globosus,  Herbst. — Very  plentiful  in  flood  rubbish  in  Mul- 
linure. 

Badister  bipustulatus,  F. — Pretty  common  in  moss,  under  stones,  etc. 
CMaeuius  nigricornis,  F.— Lowry's  Lough,  under  stones  on  edge  of  lake 
— not  plentiful. 


The  Coleoptei'a  of  the  Armagh  District.  17 

Bradycellus  verbasci,  Duft. — Common  in  moss,  under  stones,  etc. 

B.  similis,  Dej. — Mullinure — uncommon. 

Harpalus  rufibarbis,  F. — Mullinure,  Dean's  Hill — not  common. 

H.  ruficornis,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  latus,  Iv. — Common  throughout  district. 

Anisodactylus  blnotatus,  F. — Lowry's  Lough— not  common. 

Stomis  pumicatus,  Panz. — Mullinure,  under  stones  and  in  flood  rubbish. 

Pterostichus  cupreus,  L. — Fairly  plentiful  in  the  district. 

P.  versicolor,  Sturm. — Mullinure — not  common. 

P.  madidus,  F. — Very  common  throughout  the  district. 

P.  niger,  Schall. — Common  under  stones,  etc. 

P.  vulgaris,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

P.  nigrita,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  etc., — common  under  stones. 

P.  gracilis,  Dej. — Edenmore,  Loughnashade — not  common. 

P.  minor,  Gyll. — Mullinure,  Loughnashade,  in  moss — pretty  common. 

P.  strenuus,  Panz.       )  ^  , 

t%   j-T^         c^ >  Common  m  moss,  etc. 

P.  diligens,  Sturm.      )  ' 

P.  vernalis,  Gyll. — Edenmore,  Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 

P.  striola,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

Amara  aulica,  Panz. — Mullinure  under  stones — not  common. 

A.  ovata,  F. — Mullinure,  Palace  Demesne,  Edenmore — not  common. 

A.  acuminata,  Payk. — Fairly  distributed  through  district. 

A.  communis,  Panz. — Common  throughout  district. 

Calathus  cisteloides,  Panz. — Common  throughout  district. 

C  mollis,  Marsh. — Dean's  Hill — not  common. 

C.  melanocephalus,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 
C.  piceus,  Marsh. — Palace  Demesne,  Folly  in  moss. 
Pristonychus  terricola,  Herbst. — Outhouses  in  Cathedral  crypt. 
Anchomenus  dorsalis,  Miill. — Common  throughout  district. 

A.  albipes,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  etc., — common  under  stones  near  water. 

A.  oblongus,  Sturm. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure, — common  under 
stones,    and  in   moss. 

A.  marginatus,  L. — Lowry's  Lough  and  banks  of  ponds — very  plentiful. 

A.  parumpunctatus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

A.  viduus,  Panz. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough  in  moss,  etc.,— pretty  com- 
mon. 

A.  micans,  Nic. — Folly  in  moss — rare. 

A.  fuliginosus,  Panz. — Common  throughout  district. 

A.  gracilis,  Gyll. — Mullinure,  in  moss;  Lowry's  Lough  under  stones,  etc. 

A.  piceus,  L. — Mullinure,  in  moss;  Lowry's  Lough  on  edge  of  lake — fairly 
common. 

A.  thoreyi,  Dej.— Lowry's  Lough— rare. 

Olistliopus  rotundatus,  Payk. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 
Bembidium  rufescens. — In  my  own  garden — one  specimen. 

B.  quinquestriatum. — Near  Armagh — rare. 

B.  obtusum,  vSturni. — Mullinure,  in  moss — common. 

B.  guttula,  F. — Mullinure,  in  moss. 

B.  mannerheimi,  Sahl.— Widely  distributed,  and  plentiful. 

B.  biguttatum,  F. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

B.  aeneum,  Germ. — Mullinure,  in  flood  rubbish — not  common. 

B.  clarki,  Daws. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough,  etc. — common. 

B.  doris,  Panz. — Mullinure,  in  flood  rubbish  ;  Lowry's  Lough,  on  muddy 

banks. 
B.  lampros,  Herbst. — Common  throughout  district. 
B.  affine,  vSteph. — Near  Grange — rare. 

B.  bruxellense,  Wesm. — Lo\\n-y's  Lough,  under  stones — not  common. 
B.  litter  ale,  Ol. — Common  throughout  district. 
B.  bipunctatum,  L. — Lowry's  Lough — not  common. 
B.  flammulatum,  Clairv. — Lowry's  Lough,  under  stones,  at  roots  of  reeds, 

etc. 
Trechus  micros,  Herbst. — INIullinure,  in  flood  rubbish — one  specimen. 


i8  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

var,  obtusis,  Er.    }  common  in  moss,  etc. 
Dromius  linearis,  01. — MiiUinure  in  moss— pretty  common. 
D.  meridionalis,  Dej. — Palace  Demesne,  Miillinnre,   Dean's  Hill,  under 

bark. 
D.  quadrimaculatus,Iv.— Palace  Demesne,  Miillinnre,  Castledillon,  under 

bark. 
D.  quadrinotatus,  Panz.— Palace  Demesne,  under  bark. 
D.  melanocephalus,  Dej. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss,  etc. 

(TO   BE  CONTINUED.) 


NOTES 


BOTANY. 

Cuscuta  epithymum.  Mr.  A.  G.  More  contributes  to  the  Joiirnal  af 
Botany  for  Januar}^  a  note  on  this  plant,  of  which  he  has  received  a  fine 
series  of  specimens  gathered  by  Mr.  J.  Ernest  Grubb  at  the  west  end  of 
the  sand-hills  at  the  Rabbit  Burrow,  near  Tramore,  Co.  Waterford.  It  is 
here  parasitical  chiefly  on  7 hymns,  but  also  on  Lotus  corniculatns,  Trifolhnn 
repens,  and  Galiiivt.  Mr.  More  considers  that  this  plant  ma}'  now  definitely 
take  its  place  in  the  Irish  flora.  He  is  inclined  also  to  refer  to  this  species, 
the  Ctiscuta,  gathered  by  Mr.  R.  W.  Scully  in  1887,  on  the  Banna  sand-hills 
in  Kerry,  and  recorded  as  C.  trifolii ;  and  also  the  Cuscuta  major  recorded 
by  Threlkeld  as  "  growing  in  great  plenty  in  the  dry  sandy  banks  near 
Mayden  Tower,  near  Drogheda."  At  the  station  last  named,  however, 
Mr.  More  searched  for  the  plant  unsuccessfully.  The  localities  of  Bally- 
brack  and  Fassaroe,  ISIr.  INIore  refers  to  C.  trifolii. 


Vaccinium  vitis-idcsa.  In  the  Journal  of  Botajiy  for  March,  Mr.  A.  G. 
More  draws  attention  to  several  existing  low-level  records  for  this  species, 
in  the  hope  that  a  renewed  search  on  some  of  our  large  inland  bogs  may 
lead  to  its  discovery  at  low  elevations.  The  records  which  he  quotes  are 
"large  bog  near  Backlin,  Co.  Westmeatli "  {Herb.  D.  iMoore) ;  "bog  in 
Crevetenant,  near  Ballynahinch,  Co.  Down,"  and  "bogs  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  Eough  Neagli  "  (Templeton,  Catalogue  of  the  Amative  Plants  of 
Ireland). 


ZOOLOGY.- 

C  R  US  TA  C  E  A  . 

Galathea  strigosa  ox  Co.  Down  Coast.  A  specimen  of  this  Crusta- 
cean was  sent  to  me  from  Donaghadee  on  the  21st  January.  It  appears 
to  be  somewhat  uncommon  round  the  Irish  coast,  as  Thompson  only 
mentions  a  few  localities  where  he  had  obtained  it,  and  he  characterises 
it  as  being  in  "  limited  numbers." — Robert  Patterson,  Belfast. 


INSECTS. 

C01.EOPTERA  AT  HoL\'\vooD,  Co  Down.  On  Jan.  20th  I  was  enabled 
by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  R.  L.  Praeger  to  capture  a  few  beetles  near  Holy- 
wood.  The  main  locality  was  in  Cultra  Wood.  Owing  to  the  severity 
of  the  weather  there  were  not  as  many  beetles  about  as  might  have  been 
expected.  The  specimens  were  obtained  from  under  stones,  in  moss  (of 
which  I  brought  a  bagful  home),  and  in  water.  Under  stones  were 
Pterostichus  strenuus,  Qiccdius  fuliginosus,  Philonthus  laminatus,  Othius  fulvipennis, 
and  Lathrolnu7n  brunnipcs.  The  water  net  brought  me  Ilalipbis  lineatocollis, 
Hydroporus  atriceps,  Crotch  itnorio,   Dej.)  //.  pubesccns,  H.  discretus,  II.  niorifa, 


Notes.  19 

H.  palusfris,  H.  planus,  Agabus  bipiishilatiis,  and  A.  nebulosus.  The  moss 
was,  of  course,  productive  of  a  far  larger  number  of  species  than  the 
other  methods  of  capture.  I  obtained  from  it  Notiophilus  pahistris,  Lori- 
ccra  pilicornis,  Pterostichiis  stremitis,  Anchomemis  parumpunctatus ,  Bembidhim 
lanipros,  Cercyon  melanocephahis,  Cryptopleiirum  atomarium,  Aleochara  morion, 
Homalota  vicina,  H.  atej-rima,  H.  circellaris,  H.  fungi,  H.  aegra,  //.  analis,  H. 
atramentaria,  H.  nigra,  Conosoma  lividmn,  Tachyporus  chiysomelinus,  T. 
hypnorutn,  T.  brunneus,  Tachinns  riifipes,  T.  marginellns,  T.  subterraneus, 
Bolitobiiis  luntclatus,  B.  irinotattis,  B.  pygmacus,  Qncdius  fuliginosns,  Q. 
seviiaeneus,  Philonthus  z'ariits,  Ph.  poliins,  Xantholimis  linearis,  OtJiitis  myrjiie- 
cophiliis,  Lathrobiuni  brimnipes,  Stemis  impressus,  S.  atraUdus,  Oxytelns  rugosns, 
Ttichopteiyx  atomaria,  Scydmaenus  collaris,  Cononimiis  nodifer,  Phyllotreta  un- 
dnlata,  Erirhinus  scirpi  and  St)  ophosojmis  coiyli.  I  give  Aleochara  morion  and 
Homalota  aegra  with  some  reserve,  as  I  have  not  types  of  either.  Most  of 
the  species  are  common,  but  that  was  to  be  expected  under  the  circum- 
stances. I  have  given  all  the  species  taken,  as  there  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  any  record  from  the  district  since  Haliday's  time. — Rev.  W. 
F.  Johnson,  Armagh. 


BIRDS. 

GivAUCOUS  AND  ICKI.AND  Gui,i.s  (Larus  g^laucus  and  L.  leucopterns), 

IN  Co.   DoNEGAi,.      There   has  apparently  been  a  flight  of  these  rare 
northern   gulls  on  our  north-west   coast,   extending  from   Donegal  to 
Mayo,  within  the  last  few  weeks.     On  the  12th  February,  W.  A.  Hamil- 
ton, Esq.  J. P.  of  Ballyshannon,  Co.  Donegal,  sent  me  a  very  fine  Glaucous 
Gull  {Lams  glauciis),   in  the  mottled  immature   plumage.     It  measured 
thirty-one  inches,  from  which  I  would  conclude  it  was  a  male,  although 
the  organs  were  not  sufficiently  developed  to  be  distinguished.     On  the 
15th  February",  Mr.  Hamilton  wounded  another  gull  which  he  says  was 
apparently  of  the  same  size  and  plumage  as  the  one  he  first  sent.     It 
dropped  in  the  sea  and  was   not   recovered.      However,  I  think  there 
can  be  no  doubt  it  was  a  second  Glaucous.     On  the  17th  February  I 
received  from  Mr.   Hamilton  an  Iceland  Gull  {Lams  Icncopiems),  in  the 
plumage  of  the  second  year.  Unfortunately  it  was  too  much  decomposed 
to  preserve,  as  it  had  been  shot  about  ten  days  previously,  but  the  much 
smaller  size  and  greater  comparative  length  of  wing,  distinguished  it 
from  Lams  glaucjis.     On  the  22nd,  Mr.  Hamilton  sent  me  another  imma- 
ture Iceland  Gull,  shot  on  the  20th,  and  the  head,  wing,  and  leg  of  a 
third  which  he  had  procured  a  short  time  before  and  had  thrown  away. 
I  submitted  the  head,  wing,  and  leg  to  Mr.  R.  Warren  of  Ballina,  who 
says  they  belong  to  an  Iceland  Gull  of  the  second  year.     Then,  on  the 
3rd  of  March,  I  received  from  Carrick,  Co.    Donegal,  a  fourth  Iceland 
Gull  also  in  immature  plumage.     This  bird  measured  21  inches,  wing  15 
inches,  and  had  been  shot  so  long  that  it  could  not  be  preserved.     From 
these  six  occurrences  we  may  assume  that  there  was  a  flight  of  Glaucous 
and  Iceland  Gulls  on  our  north-west  coast  in  February.     [These  are  the 
birds  referred  to  by  Mr.   Hamilton  in  the  Field  for  February  27th  and 
March  5th.]— Robert  Patterson,  Belfast." 


Goosander  (Mer^s  merganser)  in  vStrangford  Lough.  On  the 
3rd  March  a  fine  male  Goosander  in  full  plumage  was  sent  up  from 
Strangford  Lough,  Co.  Down.  In  the  north-east  of  Ireland  this  bird  is 
decidedly  rare,  and  the  present  occurrence,  so  late  in  the  season,  is 
worth  recording. — Robert  Patterson. 


[    20] 

PROCEEDINGS    OF   IRISH   SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI.  ZOOI^OGICAI.  SOCIETY. 

Sir  Robert  Bai.1.,  F.R.S.,  President  of  the  vSociety,  has  been  appointed 
to  the  Lowndesean  Chair  of  Astronomy  at  Cambridge.  The  Council  has 
passed  a  congratulatory  resolution,  regretting  the  consequent  departure 
of  vSir  R.  Bail  from  Dublin. 

Among  the  animals  recently  presented  to  the  Gardens  are  two  Genets 
and  a  Civet  Cat,  from  V.  W.  Brown,  Esq.,  and  two  Guinea  Pigs  from 
J.  A.  Higgens,  Esq.  The  purchases  include  three  Lemurs,  a  Caracal,  a 
Polar  Bear,  and  two  Opossums. 

The  Report  of  the  Society  for  1891,  is  of  considerable  interest.  The 
success  in  breeding  lions,  which  has  long  been  a  marked  feature  in  the 
gardens,  continues.  The  lioness  "Queen,"  bought  in  1883,  has  had,  since 
then,  nine  litters,  numbering  twenty-eight  cubs  of  which  only  one  died. 
Twenty-five  were  sold  for  about  ^^1,000,  and  one  male,  "Romeo," and  one 
female,  are  still  in  the  gardens. 

DUBININ   MICROSCOPICAI,  CIvUB. 

January  21st.— The  Club  met  at  Dr.  W.  Frazer's.  Mr.  W.  F.  de  V.  Kane 
showed  a  Trematode  {Octodactylus  inhaerens,  Dal.)  from  the  gills  of  a  Ling. 
He  does  not  think  that  this  species  is  rightly  identified  by  Van  Beneden 
as  his  Plerocotyle  pahnata,  neither  the  contour,  eggs,  nor  suckers  of  the 
specimen  agreeing  with  Van  Beneden's  description. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  showed  the  palp  of  a  male  Tegenaria  taken  at 
Glendalough,  Co.  Wicklow,  and  described  as  a  new  species  (T!  Jiibernica), 
by  Rev.  O.  P.  Cambridge.  The  form  of  the  radial  apophysis  differs  from 
ail  known  British  species  of  the  genus.  Its  nearest  allies,  T.  nervosa, 
Sim.,  and  T.  larva,  Sim.,  are  from  the  eastern  Pyrenees,  so  it  seems  likely 
we  have  here  another  iink  between  the  fauna  of  Ireland  and  that  of  the 
southern  and  alpine  districts  of  Europe. 

February  i8th.— The  Club  met  at  Mr.  W.  Andrews'.  Mr.  G.  Pirn 
showed  a  INIould  {Myxotrichuni  deflexnm).  It  consists  of  minute  tufts  of 
h3'phae  with  .short  acute  branchlets  which  are  deflexed,  giving  the 
appearance  of  a  tiny  larch  tree.  The  history  of  the  specimen  is  remark- 
able. Last  autumn  Mr.  Pim  received  from  Professor  Scott  a  minute 
Peziza,  found  growing  on  a  distempered  wall  at  the  Royal  College  of 
Surgeons.  Some  of  this  was  sent  packed  in  Sphagmnn,  to  Rev.  H.  W. 
Lett.  He  could  not  find  the  Peziza,  which  being  very  fragile,  had  got 
lost  on  the  way,  but  on  the  Sphagmivi  he  did  find  the  Myxotrichum.  As 
this  mould  is  usually  got  on  waii-papers,  etc.,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  it  had  originated  at  the  College. 

INIr.  Kane  showed  a  larva  of  a  parasitic  Copepod,  Cecrops  lotrcillii,  which 
possesses  six  pairs  of  elongated  appendages  besides  the  three  naupliar 
pairs.  He  concludes  from  this  that  the  nauplius  stage  is  very  short,  and 
that  the  animal  develops  rapidly  into  a  free-swimming  copepod.  Risso 
states  that  it  is  found  in  great  numbers  in  the  Mediterranean,  floating  far 
from  land,  and  unattached  to  any  host. 

Mr.  Carpenter  showed  the  terminal  abdominal  segments  of  the  male 
Halobates  regalis,  sp.  n.,  taken  by  Professor  Haddon  in  Torres  Straits. 

Dr.  ScharfF  showed  the  aberrant  pelagic  Opisthobranch,  Phyllirhoe 
bucephaluvi.  Per,  from  the  INIediterranean  ;  the  transparency  of  body  of 
this  mollusc  makes  it  an  excellent  microscopic  object,  the  internal 
anatomy  being  clearly  visible.  A  parasitic  jeliy-fish  {Mnestra  parasitica) 
seems  always  to  be  found  attached  to  the  anterior  region  of  Phyllirhoe. 

Mr.  A.  F.  Dixon  exhibited  a  vertical  radial  section  through  a  marginal 
spherule  of  Actinia  equina.  The  section  showed  the  spherule  to  be  a  club- 
sliaped,  hollow  outgrowth  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body  wall.  The  outer 
layer  of  ectoderm  of  the  outgrowth  is  entirely  made  up  of  nematocysts 


Proceedings  of  Irish  Societies.  21 

arranged  with  their  long  axes  vertical  to  the  surface  of  the  spherule. 
Beneath  this  is  a  very  deep  granular  so-called  nervous  layer  which  is 
separated  from  the  endoderm  by  a  very  thin  layer  of  mesogloea.  The 
endoderm  is  devoid  of  pigment  granules,  the  blue  pigment  which,  during 
life,  makes  the  spherule  so  conspicuous,  being  entirley  external  to  the 
layer  of  nematocysts.  This  superficial  position  of  blue  pigment  explains 
a  fact  sometimes  observed  during  life — viz.,  the  complete  separation  of  a 
blue  layer  leaving  behind  a  colourless  but  apparently  otherwise  intact 
spherule. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Moore  showed  the  pseudo-bulb  of  an  orchid,  Oncidium 
ceballete,  attacked  by  a  fungus.  The  orchid  from  which  the  pseudo- 
bulb  was  taken  was  imported  from  Carthagena  in  1886,  but  no  sign 
of  the  fungus  appeared  until  1891.  The  fungus  proves  to  be  a  new 
species — Myrotheciu7n  cinereum,  Cooke. 


b:ei.fast  naturai,  history  and  phii^osophicai,  society. 

January  5th.— The  President,  Professor  M.  F.  Fitzgerai^d,  B.A., 
in  the  Chair.  Mr.  John  Lanyon,  C.E).,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Belfast  City 
Central  Station  and  Railways." 

January  27th.— The  President  in  the  Chair.  Mr.  L.  L.  Macassey,  B.L., 
C.B.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Filtration  Works  for  the  Improvement  of  the 
Water-supply  of  Belfast." 

February  2nd. — The  President  in  the  Chair.  Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan, 
M.R.I.A.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Early  Christian  Architecture  of  Ireland." 

February  24th. — The  President  in  the  Chair.  Dr.  John  McCormac 
read  a  paper  on  "  The  Influence  of  Language  and  Environment  upon  the 
Individual  through  the  Nervous  System." 

March  ist— The  President  in  the  Chair.  Mr.  William  Gray,  CE. 
M.R.I. A.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Essentials  of  House  Sanitation  and  How 
to  Secure  Them." 


BEI<FAST  NATURAI.ISTS'   FIEI.D   CI.UB. 

January  19th.— The  President,  Mr.  John  Vinycomb,  F.R.S.A.I.,  in 
the  Chair.  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson,  M.A.  F.E.S.,  read  a  paper  on  "The 
Beetles  of  the  Belfast  District."  The  reader  said  that  his  chief  sources 
of  information  regarding  the  Coleoptera  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Belfast, 
were  the  lists  of  the  collections  of  the  late  A.  H.  Haliday,  F.L.S.,  and 
Robert  Patterson,  F.R.S.,  published  by  the  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  and 
the  collection  of  local  beetles  in  the  museum  of  the  Belfast  Natural 
History  and  Philosophical  Society.  Mr.  Johnson  then  described  the 
various  genera  and  species  which  have  been  taken  in  the  district,  men- 
tioning their  characteristics,  habitats,  and  the  records  of  their  occur- 
rences, and  concluded  by  strongly  urging  members  to  pay  some  attention 
to  this  interesting  order,  which  were  well  worthy  of  close  observation. 
A  discussion  followed,  in  which  Messrs.  John  Hamilton,  William  Gray, 
R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  and  Rev.  C.  H.  Waddell,  M.A.,  took  part. 

Feruary  i6th.— The  President  in  the  Chair.  Rev.  C.  H.  Waddell, 
M.A.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  late  Mr.  John  Templeton's  Work  among  the 
Birds  of  the  District,  and  some  MS.  Notes  of  his,  recentl}'  discovered." 
The  reader  stated  that  a  copy  of  Montagu's  Ornithological  Dictionary  had 
lately  come  into  his  possession,  which  had  formerly  belonged  to  Mr. 
Templeton,  and  contained  a  number  of  manuscript  notes  by  that  eminent 
local  naturalist,  a  selection  from  which  Mr.  Waddell  read.  Most  of  these 
notes  have  been  published  by  Thompson  and  others. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Knowles,  M.R.I.A.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Occurrence  of 
Flint  Flakes  in  the  Glacial  Gravels  of  Ballyrudder."  He  exhibited  a 
number  of  flints  obtained  by  him  in  these  gravels,  which  he  considered 
showed  undoubted  evidence  of  human  workmanship.  He  thought  that 
sufficient  attention  had  not  been  given  to  the  rude  forms  of  implements 


22  The  Irish  Nahtralist. 

which  must  have  been  the  forerunners  of  more  finished  t^-pes,  and  held 
that  trace  of  man's  existence  mij^htbe  expected  in  an  interglacial  deposit. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Lockwood  considered  that  further  information  and  evidence, 
both  as  to  the  nature  and  age  of  the  deposit,  and  as  to  the  flints  in 
question,  were  necessary,  before  it  could  be  proved  that  traces  of  man 
occurred  in  the  Ball3-rudder  gravels.  Mr.  vS.  A.  Stewart  did  not  consider 
that  the  flints  on  exhibition  showed  any  sign  of  human  workmanship. 
Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger  held  that  the  deposit  in  question  could  not  possibly 
be  considered  interglacial,  as  its  fauna  was  more  intensely  boreal  than 
even  that  of  the  Boulder  Clay,  the  term  interglacial  signifying  a  cessation 
of  glacial  conditions.  A  recommendation  was  sent  forward  to  the  Com- 
mittee that  a  systematic  exploration  of  the  Ballyrudder  deposit  should  be 
undertaken. 

Mr.  Francis  Joseph  Bigger  gave  a  notice  of  an  amphora  recently 
obtained  by  sponge-divers  in  the  Bay  of  Ekanjik,  near  Rhodes,  which 
was  on  exhibition. 

INIr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger  exhibited  and  described  a  large  skull  of  the  Irish 
Elk  {Cerviis  giganieiis)  recently  obtained  in  the  centre  of  a  bed  of  peat  three 
feet  thick,  at  a  depth  of  thirty-four  feet  below  high  water  mark,  in 
excavations  made  for  a  wall  of  a  new  branch  floating  dock  at  Spencer 
Basin,  Belfast.  Above  the  peat  were  some  thirty  feet  of  blue  marine 
clays.  This  series  of  deposits  has  been  fully  described  by  Mr.  Praeger  in 
a  paper  recently  read  before  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 

March  15th — Microscopical  Evening.  This  was  the  P'irst  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  Microscopical  Section  of  the  Club.  The  Committee, 
presented  the  Annual  Report,  and  the  evening  was  devoted  to  an 
exhibition  of  microscopical  objects  and  appliances,  the  exhibits  being 
illustrative  of  a  microscopical  survey  of  the  animal  kingdom.  Some  twenty 
microscopists  attended  with  their  instruments,  and  there  was  a  large 
gathering  of  members  and  visitors. 


DUBININ  NATUR-\I.ISTS'   FIEI.D   CLUB. 

Feb.  9th.— The  President,  Dr.  E.  J.  McWeeney,  in  the  Chair.  Mr. 
J.  M.  Browne,  B.A.,  gave  a  paper  on  "Some  Coleoptera  from  the  Dublin 
District."  (This  paper,  which  includes  several  new  records,  will  be  shortly 
published  in  the  Irish  Naturai^ist.)  Messrs.  H.  K.  G.  Cuthbert,  W.  F. 
de  V.  Kane,  and  G.  H.  Carpenter  took  part  in  the  discussion,  which 
turned  chiefly  on  the  famous  Mesites  tardyi,  and  the  bearing  of  its  distri- 
bution, and  that  of  some  other  Irish  animals,  on  the  problem  of  the 
former  physical  geograph}-  of  Western  Europe. 

March  8th. — The  President  in  the  Chair.  Mr,  T,  Chandlee  read  a  paper 
entitled,  "The  Multiplication  of  vSpecies,"  in  which  he  dealt  with  the 
recent  changes  of  nomenclature  in  systematic  botany,  and  deplored  the 
extent  to  which  "splitting"  has  been  carried  by  some  naturalists,  speciall}^ 
in  the  genera  Kosa,  Rubus,  and  Ilieracium.  Specimens  were  exhibited 
showing  different  forms  of  leaves  on  the  same  plant,  believed  to  in- 
dicate a  transition  between  supposed  species.  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart,  Professor 
Johnson,  ]Mr.  W.  F.  de  V.  Kane,  Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter,  and  Professor 
Cole  took  part  in  the  discussion.  ]SIessrs.  Kane  and  Carpenter  showed 
some  critical  species  and  varieties  of  Ivcpidoptera  Mr.  F.  Neale  sent  for 
exhibition  some  Lepidoptera  from  the  Limerick  district ;  one  of  these, 
Nisoniades  tages,  from  Cratloe,  Co.  Clare,  had  not  before  been  taken  in 
the  localit}'. 


ARMAGH  NATUR-\I,  HISTORY  AND   PHII^OSOPHICAIv  SOCIETY. 

January  nth.— Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson,  President,  in  the  Chair.  Mr.  W. 
H.  Phillips,  of  Holywood,  read  a  most  interesting  paper  entitled,  "  A 
Gossip  about  British  Ferns."  The  lecturer  referred  to  the  remarkable 
number  of  varieties  of  the  British   Ferns,   and   enumerated  the  chief 


Proceedings  of  Irish  Societies.  23 

divisions  into  M'hich  they  fall.  He  then  gave  an  account  of  some  of  the 
principal  varieties,  with  many  interesting  details.  The  paper  was  illus- 
trated by  numerous  and  beautiful  specimens.  A  discussion  followed  in 
which  Mr.  W.  McCrum  and  the  President  took  part.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  owing  to  the  bad  weather  the  attendance  was  meagre. 

February  nth. — The  President  in  the  Chair.     Mr.W.  McCrum  read  a 
paper  on  "Ulster  Traits  and  Characteristics." 


ROYAIv  DUBININ   SOCIETY. 

February  17th,  1892. — Lord  Rosse  in  the  Chair.  Professor  W.J.  Sollas, 
F.R.S.  read  a  paper  on  "The  Basal  Cambrian  Conglomerate  of  Howth." 
The  conglomerate  consists  of  angular,  sub-angular,  and  rounded  frag- 
ments of  quartzite  and  slate.  It  is  exposed  in  cliff  sections  at  Balscadden 
Bay  on  the  northern  side  of  the  peninsula.  Sir  Archibald  Geikie 
was  inclined  to  regard  it  as  a  volcanic  breccia,  but  the  total  absence  of 
volcanic  rocks  at  Howth  seems  conclusive  against  this  view.  Professor 
Sollas  regards  this  conglomerate  as  the  base  of  the  Cambrian  series.  He 
considers  that  the  preponderance  of  slate  at  Bra}-,  and  quartzite  at  Howth, 
indicates  the  existence  of  the  shore-line  of  the  ancient  ocean  to  the 
north  of  Howth,  its  proximity  being  there  shown  by  the  existence  of 
this  basal  conglomerate. 

The  discussion  was  opened  by  Professor  Cole,  who  thought  that  much 
of  the  formation  could  be  explained  by  the  shattering  of  the  quartzite, 
and  the  flowing  of  the  slaty  rock  around  its  fragments.  Mr.  W.  \V.  Watts 
pointed  out  the  great  difficulty  of  explaining  the  existence  of  quartzite 
pebbles  in  a  niatrix  of  the  same  rock. 

Professor  G.  A.  J.  Cole,  F.G.S.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Variolite  of 
Annalong,  Co.  Down."  A  specimen  in  the  Survey  collection,  labelled 
"Variolite,"  and  collected  by  the  late  General  Portlock  on  the  shores  of 
Co.  Down,  led  Professor  Cole  to  the  re-discovery  of  the  rock  in  Ireland. 
Variolite  (a  devitrified  basalt),  is  a  very  rare  rock,  and  was  thought  to 
exist  in  the  British  Isles  only  in  Anglesey,  where  it  was  discovered  by 
Professor  J.  F.  Blake.  The  clyke  at  Annalong  is  only  exposed  at  low 
water ;  it  is  of  large  size,  measuring  four  feet  in  width,  and  traceable  for 
eighty-two  feet.  The  passage  from  true  basic  glass  to  variolite  can  be 
traced  in  the  dyke. 

Dr.  J.  Joly  read  a  paper  entitled,  "A  Speculation  on  a  Pre-material 
Condition  of  the  Universe." 

March  i6th.— Professor  W.  N.  Harti^ey,  F.R.S.,  in  the  Chair.  Dr. 
G.  J.  Stoney,  F.R.S.,  read  a  paper  entitled,  "Proposal  of  a  Standard 
Gauge  to  assist  in  appreciating  the  small  Ultra-visible  Magnitudes  of 
Nature."  Professor  P\  J.  Bell's  report  on  the  Echinoderms  collected  on 
the  cruise  of  the  "Fingal"  was  submitted  to  the  meeting. 


ROYAI,   IRISH  academy. 

February  22nd. — The  President,  Dr.  J.  K.  Ingram,  in  the  Chair.  Rev. 
George  T.  Stokes,  D.D.,  read  a  paper  on  "The  Knowledge  of  Greek  in 
Ireland  between  500  and  900,  A.D."  Mr.  R.  Llo3'd  Praeger  read  a 
"Report  on  the  Estuarine  Clays  of  the  North-east  of  Ireland."  (The 
author  proposes  to  contribute  an  article  on  the  subject  of  this  report  to 
the  Irish  Naturai^ist  at  an  early  date,  so  no  abstract  of  his  paper  need 
now  be  given.)  Mr.  Praeger  also  read  a  "Report  on  the  Botany  of  the 
Mourne  Mountains,  Co.  Down,"  which  had  been  prepared  by  Mr.  vS.  A. 
Stewart,  F.B.S.  Edin.,  and  himself,  under  a  grant  from  the  Academy. 
The  district  reported  on  covers  180  square  miles,  almost  the  whole  area 
being  occupied  by  lofty  mountains.  Geologicall}',  the  district  consists 
of  granite,  and  Silurian  grits,  the  latter  chiefly  on  the  lower  grounds. 
The  Mourne  mountains  form  the  highest  mountain-chain  in  Ulster,  and 
the  most  easterly  highlands  in  Ireland.     The  flora  is  a  somewhat  rich 


24  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

one,  numbering  nearly  600  species  of  phanerogams  and  higher  crypto- 
gams. Alpine  plants  are,  however,  very  poorl}'  represented,  as  are  also 
plants  of  the  Atlantic  type;  while  plants  of  the  Germanic  and  Hibernian 
t^-pes  are  altogether  absent.  The  Hawkweed  flora  of  the  district  is  rich, 
fourteen  different  forms  occurring.  Of  these,  Hicracium  anratiivi  is  new 
to  Ireland,  and  H.  argenteum  has  only  previously  been  recorded  from  Co. 
Galway.  Riibus  ammobius  is  also  an  addition  to  the  Irish  list.  Besides 
the  above,  the  following  are  additions  to  the  flora  of  district  12  of 
"Cybele  Hibernica"  : — Drosera  intermedia,  Rulms  nitidus,  Rosa  involuta  (tj'pe), 
Saussurea  alpina.  Eighteen*  of  the  species  enumerated  are  new  county 
records.  An  appendix  is  given  in  which  are  entered  plants  which  have 
been  recorded  from  the  district,  but  which  the  present  reporters  failed  to 
refind.  Among  these,  we  note  with  interest  that  the  Aspleniiim  aciitiun, 
recorded  by  Sherard  from  the  Mourne  mountains,  turns  out  to  be  a  form 
of  Athyriuni  filix-fcemina. 


CORK  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI.D   CTvUB. 

March  iSth.— A  meeting  was  held  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  establish 
a  Naturalists'  Field  Club  for  Cork.  The  following  officers  were  elected: — 
President:  Professor  M.  M.  Hartog,  D.Sc.,F.Iv.S.;  Vice-Presidents :  Messrs. 
Denny  Lane,  M.A.,  \V.  H.  vShaw,  B.E.,  and  W.  J.  Knight,  LL.D.  ;  Hon. 
Treasurer:  INIr.  J.  Gilbert;  Hon.  Secretaries:  Messrs.  W.  B.  Barrington 
and  J.  Iv.  Copeman.  Miss  H.  A.  Martin,  M.R.C.P.,  with  Messrs.  T. 
Farrington,  M.A.,  F.C.S.,  and  F.  R.  Rohu,  form  the  provisional  Com- 
mittee. 


NOTICE. 

Contrihdions  fAiiicles  or  Notes  J  on  all  bra^iches  of  Irish 
Natural  History  are  invited.  Ai'ticles  must  reach  the  Editors, 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  Month,  for  insertio7i  in  the  succeedi^ig 
number.  Short  Notes  zvill  be  inserted,  if  space  permit,  if  received 
before  i^th  of  the  Month. 

Natural  History  Specimens  sc7it  to  the  Editors  zvill  be  referi'ed 
to  authorities  for  identification . 

G.  H.  Carpenter, 

Scieiice  a7id  Art  Mtisciim,  Dublin. 

R.  Lloyd  Praeger, 

Holyzvood,  Co.  Dozen, 


^lye  ^vi&\)  |lixtttralt0t. 


Vol..  I.  MAY,  1892.  No.  2. 


PHOTOGRAPHING  OBJECTS  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 

WITHOUT  A  CAMERA. 

BY    GRE:KNW00D    PIM,     M.A.,     F.I,.S. 


Thk  method  of  obtaining  photographic  transcripts  of  natural 
history  specimens  without  using  a  camera,  to  which  I  wish  to 
call  attention,  is  by  no  means  new.  In  fact,  producing  such 
impressions  was  the  ver>^  earliest  form  of  photography  that 
was  practised  by  Watt,  Sir  Humphrey  Da\^',  and  others. 

These  early  attempts  produced  nothing  but  outline,  and 
it  seems  to  have  been  reserv^ed  for  Mr.  Joly,  of  Trinit}' 
College,  Dublin,  to  show,  quite  recentl}^  that  by  suitable 
exposure,  no  little  detail  in  such  things  as  leaves,  flowers,  etc., 
can  be  obtained,  thus  producing,  in  man}''  cases,  charming 
pictures,  and  not  mere  silhouettes. 

The  plan  is  available  for  anything  which  is  flat,  or  can  be 
flattened  without  losing  its  characteristic  form,  and  which  is 
not  too  thick  or  too  opaque;  Mr.  Joly  having  got  good  results 
with  even  such  unpromising  subjects  as  monkvShood  and  fox- 
glove. 

The  materials  and  apparatus  are  extremely  simple,  and 
almost  no  photographic  skill  is  requisite.  An  ordinary"  print- 
ing frame,  for  printing  from  photographic  negatives ;  a  sheet 
of  clear  glass,  and  some  pieces  of  sensitized  paper  are  all  that 
are  absolutely  essential,  if  the  paper  used  be  that  known  as 
"  ferro-prussiate."  A  convenient  size  is  y^  inches  by  5  inches, 
for  frame,  glass,  and  paper.  All  can  be  obtained  from  an}^ 
dealer,  for  about  one  shilling  and  sixpence.  The  sheet  of  glass 
is  placed  in  the  frame  ;  a  spray  of  the  flower  to  be  copied,  pre- 
viously somewhat  pressed  between  a  couple  of  .sheets  of  blot- 
ting paper,  is  placed  thereon,  next  a  piece  of  sensitized  paper, 
taking  care  to  shield  it  from  light  as  much  as  possible  in  so 
doing.  The  back  of  the  frame  is  now  put  in,  and  the  plant, 
paper,  and  glass  are  brought  into  close  contact.  The  frame  is 
then  placed  in  the  sun,  and  after  a  sufficient  exposure,  the 

A 


26  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

duration  of  which  must  be  learnt  by  a  few  trials,  the  exposed 
portion  of  the  paper  becomes  a  deep  blue,  while  that  protected 
remains  white.  The  light,  passing  more  or  less  through  the 
plant  according  as  the  different  parts  are  more  or  less  trans- 
lucent;, of.  course  effects  the  .sensitive  surface  in  proportion  ; 
awash  "in  clear  water  "fixes"  the  print  by  refnoving  'the 
material  sensitive  to  light.  We  now  have  a  representation  of 
our  plant  in  vdiite  shaded  with  blue,  on  a  blue  ground.  The 
main  objection  to  such  prints  is  the  colour,  but  this  can,  if  de- 
sired, be  altered  afterwards  by  suitable  treatment.  The  advan- 
tages of  the  blue  paper  are  its  cheapness,  that  no  chemicals 
are  required,  and  that  it  does  not  readih'  stick  to  the  plants. 
The  next  simplest  paper  to  deal  with  is  the  printing-out  platino- 
type  paper,  often  called  "Pizzighelli  paper,"  from  its  inventor. 
It  onl}^  requires  fixing  in  dilute  acid,  and  gives  a  pleasing 
brownish-black  colour,  but  the  paper  is  costly.  Both  these 
methods  were  practised  by  Mr.  Joly  most  successfully  last 
summer,  among  the  Swiss  mountains,  and  with  freshly  gathered 
flowers  ;  the  printing  frame  and  paper  being  readil}^  carried 
in  a  satchel,  and  water  being  ever^'where  abundant.  To  fix 
the  platinot3'pes  probabh'  the  vinegar  cruet  would  .suffice  at  a 
pinch,  if  no  more  suitable  acid  were  forthcoming.  In  this  way 
a  charming  collection  ma^^  be  formed,  in  many  respects  more 
satisfactor}',  and  with  less  trouble  than  the  collections  of  dried 
specimens  one  often  sees,  though  perhaps  not  scientifically  so 
valuable. 

But  w^e  are  not  confined  to  paper  photographs.  By  acquir- 
ing a  little  more  skill  in  photographic  manipulation,  we 
can  make  most  effective  lantern  slides  from  the  small  flowers, 
and  also,  as  will  be  alluded  to  later,  from  many  other  natural 
objects.  Such  are  best  made  at  night  b}^  artificial  light,  as  the 
exposure  is  more  easily  regulated  than  b}^  daylight.  I  must 
here  assume  that  the  ordinary-  mode  of  making  lantern  slides 
by  contact  from  photographic  negatives  is  understood,  and  for 
details  refer  to  the  man}'  treatises  thereon  obtainable  from_ 
photo-material  dealers.  The  standard  size  for  lantern  slides 
in  this  country  being  3J  inches  square,  we  are  practically 
confined' to  subjects  coming  within  this  area,  and  the  method 
of  procedure  is  as  follows  : — A  piece  of  clear  glass  is  placed  in 
a  suitable  printing  frame  in  the  dark  room,  and  the  spray  of 
flowers,  say  of  the  bog  pimpernel,  Anagallis  f  aid  la,  is  placed 
thereon,  a  sheet  of  white  paper  beneath  the  frame  facilitating 
the  arrangement ;  over  this  is  placed  a  sensitive  plate,  preferabl}' 
one  specially  made  for  lantern  work  ;  this  must  be  done  by 
non-active  light.  The  back  of  the  frame  being  put  in,  the 
whole  is  exposed  to  light,  either  gas,  or  an  inch  or  two  of 
magnesium  rjbbon.  The  plate  is  then  developed  and  fixed, 
and  we  have  a  negative  of  the  flower,  i.e.  light  or  dark  ground, 
and  with  the  lights  and  shades  reversed.  This  may  itself  be 
used  as  a  lantern  slide,  or  a  print  on  to  a  second  plate  may  be 


Photographing  Objects  of  N'at.  History  ivithout  a  Camera.     27 

taken,  when  of  course  the  lights  and  shades  are  as  in  nature, 
and  the  delicate  details  of  venation,  etc.,  if  the  exposure  has 
been  suitable,  are  beautifull}^  rendered  with  a  roundness  and 
solidity  almost  incredible. 

Following  out  this  idea  I  have  experimented  with  seaweeds, 
zooph3'tes,  mosses,  ferns,  etc.  Many  of  the  li3'droids,  such  as 
Sertularia,  Pluimdaria,  and  their  allies,  make  excellent  slides, 
the  first  or  negative  slide  showing  the  object  as  brilliantly 
lighted  on  a  dark  ground,  there  being  little  or  no  detail  in  the 
interior,  and  the  outline  being  sharp  and  crisp.  The  folia- 
ceous  Fliist7'£E  are  also  suitable,  but  care  must  be  taken  against 
overlap,  which  will  completely  destroy  all  internal  structure. 
Seaweeds  are  somewhat  more  difficult  to  deal  with,  as  they 
require  in  many  cases  to  be  set  out  in  water  on  the  clear  glass, 
and  then  carefully  lifted  out,  and  the  superfluous  water  blotted 
off,  before  the  sensitive  plate  is  applied.  When  the  species  is 
comparativel}^  strong,  such  as  Plocaviium,  this  is  easily  done,  but 
in  the  more  delicate  forms,  like  Ptilota,  the  ramuli  run  together 
the  moment  the  water  is  removed.  In  this  case  I  have  used 
the  plate  entirel}^  wetted,  with  fair  success,  the  only  drawback 
being  large  air  bubbles,  which  somewhat  disfigure  the  slides. 
Dried  seaweeds  are  frequently  very  opaque  and  most  of  the 
detail  in  the  stems  has  disappeared,  but  Delesserias  and  other  flat 
species  can  be  readily  photographed  diy.  Wherever  there  is 
detail  in  the  interior,  it  is  better  to  print  a  slide  from  the  nega- 
tive plate,  as  then  lights  and  shades  are  not  inverted. 

The  exposure  must  of  course  be  learnt  by  experience,  but 
it  may  be  noted  that  the  red  seaweeds,  when  wet,  transmit 
actinic  light  freeh^  and  so  require  but  short  exposure,  especially 
to  magnesium.  A  similar  remark  is  true  of  such  ferns  as 
Trichomanes  (Killarne}'^  fern)  and  Hymenophyllum,  and  other 
ferns  require  of  course  more,  being  more  opaque. 

There  is  one  direction  in  which  this  method  of  photography 
might,  I  think,  prove  useful,  though  it  is  travelling  a  little  out 
of  the  title  of  this  note.  I  notice  that  Messrs.  Newton  &  Co.,  of 
London,  advertise  a  series  of  lantern  slides  of  grasses,  '*  made 
from  accurate  drawings"  for  popular  educational  purposes. 
Would  it  not  be  feasible  to  make  direct  photographs  in  the  man- 
ner above  described  of  the  whole^  plant  on  plates  sufficiently 
large,  and  from  these  in  the  camera  make  reductions,  just  as 
slides  are  now  made  from  photographic  views  of  all  sizes.  Such 
would,  of  necessity,  be  more  faithful  than  any  drawing  could 
possibly  be,  while  structural  details  could  be  brought  out  in  a 
way  that  photographing  direct  in  the  camera  could  not  pro- 
duce. 

Whether  such  photographs  of  natural  objects  would  be  of 
much  value  to  discriminate  species,  is  I  think,  doubtful,  but 
it  seems  to  me  that  they  might  be  ver>'  useful  in  man}-  ways  for 
class  purposes,  especiall}-  now  that  the  optical  lantern  is  be- 
coming so  valuable  an  adjunct  in  teaching. 

B 


2$  The  hish  Naturalist. 

Professor  Bottomley,  of  the  Yorkshire  College,  Leeds,  has 
recentl}^  published  a  useful  little  brochure  on  this  subject, 
showing  that  the  lantern  can  be  successfully  used  in  a  fairly" 
lighted  room,  and  states  that  it  is  used  in  nearly  all  the  lecture 
rooms  of  that  institution  ;  a  special  hand  being  constantly 
emploj'ed  in  producing  the  various  slides  required  by  the 
diflerent  teachers. 


THE  CROSSBILL  {LOXIA  CURVIROSTRA,  L.) 

IN  IRELAND. 

BY    R.   J.    USSHKR. 


( Continued  from  p.  9.) 

CrossbiIvLS  need  water,  and  may  frequentl}'  be  seen  flying 
down  from  ni}'  hill  plantations  to  the  stream  and  drinking  there. 
On  the  4th  July  last,  as  I  approached  my  house,  I  heard  an  old 
Crossbill  uttering  his  call-note  as  he  sat  sentinel  on  the  top 
of  a  silver  fir.  Five  others  then  alighted  on  the  roof  of  the 
house  over  the  kitchen  3'ard,  and  drank  from  the  eave-gutters 
which  held  water  since  the  previous  da3^'s  rain.  They  took  no 
notice  of  me. 

This  tameness  or  indifference  to  man's  presence  seems  to 
show  that  the  ancestors  of  this  race  of  birds  have  lived  beyond 
the  range  of  human   persecution  ;  but  let  a  Sparrow  Hawk 
appear,  and  the}^  are  immediately  on  the   wing,  performing 
lofty  flights  with  angry  notes.     I  have  attempted  to  put  up  a 
flock  to  show  a  friend  their  flight,  etc.,  while  we  stood  beneath 
the  trees  where  they  were  feeding,  but  though  we  shouted  and 
flung  stones  into  the  air  the}^  would  not  stir.     Nor  let  it  be 
supposed  that  they  shrink  from  the  vicinit}^  of  a  house,  if  only 
it  be  surrounded  b}"  haunts  to  their  liking.    On  the  top  of  a  hill 
here  stands  an  inhabited  house  surrounded  by  masses  of  old 
Scotch  firs  and  larches  ;  this  spot,  called  the  Giant's  Rock, 
has  been  the  chief  resort  of  Crossbills.     I  have  leaned  against 
the  house  and  watched  them  feeding  within  a  few^  3'ards,  nor 
were   they   alarmed   when    people    talked    and    dogs    barked 
beneath  them.     Na}',  of  the  five  nests  discovered,  three  were 
within  vShort  distances  of  this  house,  one  being  in  the  top  of  a 
low  fir  over  the  ver}'  pathwa}'  that  led  from  the  house  to  the 
offices  where  animals  were  kept,  and  close  to  the  latter  build- 
ings.    The  birds  used  to  pick  up  materials  and  carry  them  to 
their  nest  while  observers  stood  b}'.     I  once  set  men  to  erect 
a  wire  fence  beside  the  trees  containing  a  Crossbill's  nest. 
The  female,  which  was  probably  la3'ing,  sat  for  a  long  time  on 
one  of  these  trees  calmly  gazing  at  the  men,  and  not  betra^'ing 
an}-  uneasiness.     More  than  once  on  my  ascending  trees  to 


The  Crossbill  (JLoxia  curvirostra,  L.)  in  Ireland.  29 

inspect  nests,  the  female  would  not  remove  beyond  the  next 
tree,  and  soon  returned  when  I  descended.  In  no  case  did  our 
inspections  lead  to  a  nest  being  forsaken.  When  I  climbed  up 
to  one  that  contained  young,  the  parent  birds  perched  on  the 
same  tree  within  four  feet  of  me,  uttering  their  note  excitedl3^ 
But  the  most  singular  instance  of  a  Crossbill's  boldness  w^as 
that  of  a  female  sitting  hard  on  eggs,  who  not  only  would 
not  move,  but  bit  the  stick  with  which  she  was  poked,  and  when 
lifted  off  her  eggs  with  it  to  see  what  was  under  her,  held  on 
to  the  nest  with  her  claws,  and  sank  into  it  again  w^hen  the 
stick  slipped  away.     {Zoologist,  1889,  p.  180.) 

The  song  of  the  Crossbill  has  most  frequently  been  heard 
from  February  to  April.  While  the  female  was  hatching, 
the  male  has  been  seen  shuffling  and  flapping  his  wings  with 
delight,  flitting  through  the  firs  near  the  nest.  He  would  take 
a  circuit  about  the  group  of  trees  singing  on  the  wing,  and 
then  perch  on  a  tree-top  continuing  his  song.  I  have  also 
listened  to  a  male  singing  quite  distinctly  in  October.  The 
song  is  quaint  but  usually  harsh,  and  often  consists  of  the 
repetition  of  one  note,  followed  by  the  repetition  of  another. 
These  are  ver}^  diverse,  and  one  bird  will  take  up  one  note  or 
two,  another  bird  another  note,  and  continue  using  it.  Thus 
the  burden  of  one  song  will  be  chit,  chit,  chit,  repeated  sharply, 
and  then  a  loud  creaking  note  most  like  the  twee-e-e  of  the 
Greenfinch,  but  repeated  more  than  once  with  gusto.  These 
sounds  strike  the  ear  at  a  distance.  Then  may  follow  "saw- 
sharpening"  notes,  reminding  one  of  the  Great  Tit,  but  not 
uttered  so  loudly,  and  some  low  and  sweeter  notes ;  or  the 
saw-sharpening  may  be  the  only  song.  Upon  April  2nd,  I 
heard  a  Crossbill  utter  for  some  time  a  sound  new  to  me,  a 
sort  of  twirr,  like  the  chafing  of  a  wheel  or  of  a  tightened 
cord  vibrating  against  something  else. 

The  Crossbill  sits,  while  singing,  on  the  leader  or  a  top  shoot, 
but  may  continue  his  notes  while  fl3dng  to  another  tree.  The 
song  is  oftenest  heard  early,  before  eight  a.m.  The  ordinary 
call-note  can  best  be  translated  "  gip,  gip."  This  is  uttered 
in  a  very  shrill  key  by  the  male,  when,  for  instance,  he  conies 
to  feed  the  female,  but  she  expecting  him  continues,  though 
hatching,  to  utter  from  the  nest  a  different  note  like  "  3Xp, 
yep,"  or  "yup,  jaip,"  not  so  loud  as  that  of  the  male.  I  often 
hear  this,  evidently  used  as  a  call  for  food.  A  brood  of  3^oung 
birds  when  following  their  parents  through  the  branches  on 
2ist  Ma3%  uttered  an  eager  cry  for  food,  like  "  chit-00,  chit-00, 
chit,  chit." 

In  February  these  birds  usuall}^  pair.  Of  the  five  nests  dis- 
covered here  the  earliest  was  not  commenced  before  March,  for 
on  the  loth  the  birds  were  carr3'ing  the  twigs  of  which  the  foun- 
dation is  formed,  and  on  the  i3tli  the3'  brought  moss  for  the  body 
of  the  nest ;  on  the  20th  I  saw  them  stripping  off  bits  of  Scotch 
fir  bark,  and  apparently  taking  them  to  the  nest.    On  the  20th 


30  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

March,  another  pair  of  Crossbills  were  seen  picking  up  sheep's 
wool  for  their  nest,  in  which  the  female  was  found  hatching 
four  eggs  on  the  28th.  The  latest  of  the  nests  was  being  built 
on  13th  April ;  on  the  2otli  the  female  was  sitting ;  on  the  25th 
I  ascertained  that  there  were  four  eggs,  and  on  the  nth  May, 
I  saw  the  3'oung  birds  in  it.  They  were  not  feathered  3'et,  but 
had  grejdsh-black  down,  m.uch  the  colour  of  black  wadding, 
giving  them  a  very  different  appearance  from  the  3'oung  of  other 
Passeres,  Their  enormous  upper  mandibles,  overlapping  the 
lower,  looked  striking.  On  the  i8th  May  these  young  had 
left  the  nest,  so  that  its  story  was  completed  within  five  weeks. 
The  five  nests  were  all  among  the  branches  or  tops  of  Scotch 
firs.  The  first,  now  in  the  British  Museum,  South  Kensington, 
was  near  the  termination  of  a  large  lateral  branch,  about  forty 
feet  from  the  ground,  on  the  borders  of  a  plantation  on  the 
hill  slope.  The  nest  was  overhung  or  shaded  by  the  luxuriant 
tufts  of  the  pine  needles.  This  was  the  only  nest  that  I  inter- 
fered with.  Three  other  nests  were  in  the  tops  of  the  firs 
about  the  Giant's  Rock,  a  hill-top  ;  and  the  fifth  nest  was  in 
the  top  of  one  of  a  group  of  stunted  Scotch  firs  about  twenty 
feet  high,  on  the  summit  of  the  Black  Hill,  566  feet  above  the 
sea,  exposed  to  every  v/ind  that  blows.  They  were  all  well- 
concealed.  One  built  against  the  leader,  where  a  bend  occurs 
in  it  and  several  little  lateral  branches  diverge,  looked  from 
below  like  an  enlargement  of  the  crooked  leader.  Another 
was  built  in  a  little  bower  or  cage,  formed  by  the  divergent, 
curving,  smaller  branches  and  tufts,  at  the  culmination  of  a 
main  branch  that  grew  upwards.  The  trees  selected  were  not 
in  the  heart  of  any  mass,  but  on  or  near  the  margins  of  groups 
of  trees.  The  foundation  platform  of  the  nest,  when  present, 
is  composed  of  strong  twigs  of  fir  and  larch,  and  is  much 
wider  than  the  nest  itself.  The  bod}^  of  the  nest  is  of  dead 
grass  or  stems,  or  of  moss  intermixed  with  wool  and  grass, 
but  no  feathers  ;  occasionally  a  tuft  of  lichens  occurs.  A  nest 
from  Sweden  in  Viiy  collection,  which  wants  the  foundation,  is 
composed  of  tufts  of  fine  hair-like  lichen,  mixed  with  a  little 
moss  and  strips  of  bark,  Vv'hich  are  plentiful  externally. 

The  female  when  hatching  was  often  observed  to  rise  and 
wriggle  and  turn  round  in  the  nest,  though  we  had  no  snow 
at  that  season.  Mr.  Nicoud  imagined  that  this  movement 
was  to  shake  off  falling  snow.     {Zoologist,  1889,  p.  71.) 

The  nestling  Crossbill,  until  after  it  is  fledged,  has  the  edge 
of  the  upper  mandible  overlapping  the  lower  on  both  sides 
equall}^  but  the  point  soon  begins  to  turn  on  one  side.  One 
that  we  caged  near  the  nest  was  fed  for  nearly  a  fortnight 
b}^  its  parents.  It  was  then  in  the  vStriped  plumage.  When 
taken  in  the  hand  it  would  try  to  bite,  but  did  not  flutter  nor 
struggle.  It  managed  to  open  the  door  of  its  cage  and  was 
lost. 

It  is  in  June  and  July,  when  the  young  broods  have  formed 


The  Crossbill  {Loxia  acrvirostra,  Z,.)  in  Irela^id.  31 

into  flocks,  that  Crossbills  are  most  apt  to  wander  about  the 
country  or  even  to  migrate.  How  long  they  continue  to  feed 
their  young  at  large  is  a  curious  question.  I  have  seen  one 
take  food  from  another  on  the  26th  February,  and  Mr.  Moffat 
seems  to  have  seen  the  same  thing  in  County  Wexford  on 
15th  January,  two  Crossbills  in  a  flock  having  put  their  beaks 
together  repeatedly.  This  he  interpreted  as  an  act  of  courtship, 
but  as  it  was  done  in  a  flock,  why  may  it  not,  like  the  follow- 
ing, have  been  an  instance  of  an  old  bird  still  feeding  a  3"0ung 
one  of  the  previous  year?  Throughout  March,  1892,  four 
Crossbills  have  kept  in  company  about  the  Giant's  Rock.  On 
the  28th  I  observed  the  red  bird,  the  old  male  of  this  family 
party,  pursued,  evidently  for  food,  by  another  that  was  full- 
grown,  and  not  a  bird  of  this  year. 

Of  the  five  pairs  whose  nests  we  found  here,  three  males 
were  red  and  two  were  golden  3^ellow.  The  male  now 
in  the  British  Museum  is  one  of  the  latter.  Another  j'-ellow 
male  was  large,  active,  vigilant,  his  mandibles  conspicuously 
crossed,  and  was  decidedly  the  most  wary  Crossbill  I  have 
seen.  This  inclines  me  to  think  that  Wheelright  was  right 
{Zoologist^  1862,  p.  8001),  and  that  the  most  mature  plumage 
is  yellow. 

The  Parrot-Crossbill  (var.  pifyopsittacus)  was  not  recognised 
in  Ireland  until  January,  1889  {Zoologist,  1889,  p.  181),  but 
during  the  autumn  and  v\dnter  of  1890-91,  all  the  specimens 
of  Crossbills  received  by  Mr.  Williams  from  different  parts  of 
the  country,  were  of  that  large  race  {Zoologist,  1891,  p,  112). 
I  have  never,  to  my  knowledge,  met  with  the  Parrot-Crossbill,  • 
but  then  I  have  killed  none  except  the  two  in  the  British 
Museum. 

Mr.  E.  Williams  records  (Zoologist,  1889,  p.  266),  under  the 
sub-specific  name  oiimbidfasciata,  Brehm,  a  variety  of  Crossbill 
from  Edenderry,  in  which  the  tips  of  the  wing-coverts  were 
buff,  forming  two  bars,  and  he  quotes  in  relation  to  it  the 
remarks  of  Professor  Newton  who  had  never  seen  it  before. 
This  rare  variety  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  White- 
winged  Crossbill  {Loxia  bifasciatci),  a  distinct  .species. 


COUNTY  DUBININ,  PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

BY   PROF.    GRKNYII^LK   A.   J.    COIvE,    F.G.S. 

{Conlimted from  page  14.) 

II. — Thf  Ordovician  Period. 

WherKVKR  the  shore-line  of  the  sea  of  Bray  and  Howth 
may  have  been,  in  early  Cambrian  or  even  Precambrian 
times,  by  the  end  of  the  Cambrian  period  the  marine  deposits 


32 


The  Irish  Natiwalist. 


were  themselves  upheaved,  and  formed  island-masses,  round 
which  new  strata  were  unconformabh'  laid  down.  The  fossils 
of  this  second  system  of  rocks  prove  it  to  be  of  Ordovician 
age,  the  term  ''Ordovician"  being  now  generally  adopted  in 
place  of  the  much  disputed  "Lower  Silurian"  cmplo3^ed  by  the 
Geological  Sun'C}^  and  many  text-books.  We  cannot  enter 
here  into  the  long  war  of  words  which  made  both  the  terms 
"Upper  Cambrian"  of  Sedgwick,  and  "Lower  Silurian "  of 
Murchison  distasteful  to  disinterested  combatants.  Professor 
Lapworth  has  fortunatel}'  given  us  a  name  which  both  parties 
can  accept  with  dignit}'. 

The  Ordovician  system  includes,  in  the  home  of  the  ancient 
Ordovices,  (i)  the  Arenig  series,  with  its  huge  volcanic  masses, 
Arenig-fawr,  Cader  Idris,  and  the  Arans ;  (2)  the  Llandeilo 
series,  with  the  famous  Ffestiniog  slates,  and  with  some  continu- 
ance of  volcanic  deposits  ;  and  (3)  the  Bala  series,  with  richly 
fossiliferous  limestones,  and  an  enormous  outpouring  of  tuffs 
and  lavas,  to  the  hardness  of  which  we  owe  Snowdon,  and 
many  other  precipiced  mountains  in  North  Wales. 

In  County  Dublin  the  Ordovician  rocks  have  been  altered 
on  the  south  b}^  the  invasion  of  the  granite  ;  but  at  Skerries, 
in  the  north,  the}'  come  out  clearl}'  below  the  Carboniferous, 
and  crop  out  again  in  the  interesting  promontor}-  of  Portraine. 

Fig.  4. 


Lanibay  Island  from   Portraine.      Irregularly  disturbed  limestones  and 
^  shales  on  the  headland  in  foreground. 

The  fossil  species  show  that  this  Portraine  series  is  of  Bala 
age.  The  coast  is  easily  struck  east  of  Donabate  station  ;  and 
the  oldest  rocks  exposed  lie  directly  opposite  Lambay  Island. 
Here  a  mass  of  gre}'  compact  limestone,  representing  an  old 


Cou7ity  Dublin,  Past  and  Present.  33 

coral-reef  and  its  associated  shell-banks,  is  uptilted  from 
beneath  more  clearly  stratified  layers  of  alternating  limestone 
and  shale,  the  latter,  as  seen  in  the  picturesque  little  head- 
lands (fig.  4),  showing  numerous  folds  and  sharp  contortions. 
In  the  section  by  Mr.  Du  No3"er'  the  more  shalj^  beds  are  repre- 
sented as  wholly  above  the  limestone  ;  but  detailed  mapping 
on  a  larger  scale  ma}^  prove  that  some  of  them  are  equivalent 
to  it,  having  been  deposited  upon  the  flanks  of  the  main  bank 
of  shells  and  coral  at  the  same  time  as  it  was  slowh-^  accumu- 
lating. Such  limestone  aggregations  very  rapidly  become 
compact,  and  even  crs'stalline  in  modern  seas,  and  the  waves 
roll  blocks  of  consolidated  limestone  from  their  margins  into 
the  surrounding  sedimeiits.  At  Portraine  similar  action  has 
produced  bands  of  coarse  conglomerate,  which  ma}'  be  seen 
freely  in  the  northern  half  of  the  coast  section,  and  which  are 
folded  in  with  the  more  finely  grained  deposits  near  the  main 
limestone  mass. 

The  fossils  of  the  reef  are  partly  silicified,  owing,  doubtless, 
to  the  destruction  of  siliceous  sponges,  radiolarians,  or  diatoms, 
and  the  deposition  of  their  material  by  gradual  replacement  in 
the  calcareous  shells  and  vskeletons  of  the  other  organisms. 
This  flint}^  character  causes  them  to  stand  out  above  the  level 
of  the  rocks  when  attacked  b}"  waves  and  weather.  Among 
the  corals,  the  isolated  cups  of  Cyathophylliun,  with  numerous 
septa,  are  conspicuous  ;  so  is  also  the  chain-coral, /2^a/;'^?7<?^,  the 
rows  of  tubes,  in  which  the  poh'pes  once  dwelt,  resembling, 
when  viewed  from  above,  the  links  of  a  chain.  The  brachiopods, 
more  closely  than  the  actinozoa,  ally  these  beds  to  the  Bala 
series  of  Wales.  Orthis  and  StTophoinena  have  yielded  several 
species,  as  may  be  seen  in  Mr.  Baih-'s  useful  list.""  Thirteen 
species  of  trilobites  are  on  record,  though  their  remains  lie  well 
hidden  ;  and  eight  gastropods  and  two  early  representatives 
of  lamellibranchs  have  been  found  here  or  on  Lambay  Island. 
In  a  band  of  black  shale,  running  at  right  angles  to  the  shore- 
line, north  of  the  more  northern  martello  tower,  the  hydrozoan 
Diplograptus  can  be  found  in  occasional  patches  ;  this  grapto- 
lite,  and  others  with  a  similar  arrangement  of  two  rows  of 
cellules,  back  to  back  along  the  axis,  are  typically  Ordovician  ; 
wdiile  modern  marine  hydrozoa  are  common  upon  the  shore, 
ready  for  comparison.  The  sea- also  throws  up  multitudes 
of  lamellibranchs,  Cyprina,  Cardiitm,  Solen,  and  the  like,  and 
gastropods,  such  as  Ttinitella^Ptiipjwa,  Buccimnn,  and  Cypr<Ta\ 
but  not  a  single  brachiopod,  nor  a  single  coral  is  likely  to 
reward  the  most  careful  search.  These  animals  are  still 
represented  in  British  and  Irish  seas,  but  the  proportions  of 
the  several  groups  of  marine  life  have  been  utterly  reversed 
since  Ordovician  times.     Moreover,  scarcely  a  single  genus. 


*  Memoir  of  Geol.  Survej-  of  Ireland  to  sheets  102  and  112,  p.  45. 
■2  Memoir  of  Geol.  Survey  to  sheets  102  and  112,  p.  12. 


34  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

and  not  a  single  species,  has  been  able  to  struggle  on  unaltered 
through  the  long  series  of  changes  which  Co.  Dublin  has 
since  then  undergone, 

Thus  at  the  present  daj-  the  British  seas  contain  one  species 
of  brachiopod  to  every  twenty-five  species  of  lamellibranchs, 
and  every  thirt3"-six  of  shell-bearing  gastropods  ;  while  in  the 
British  Bala  series  we  have  the  lamellibranchs  and  gastropods 
about  equal  in  point  of  species,  and  the  species  of  brachiopods 
equal  to  those  of  the  two  groups  put  together.  Numerical 
predominance  of  individuals  is,  however,  a  safer  test  of 
relative  importance ;  and  here  at  Portraine  brachiopod  life  is 
at  once  seen  to  be  abundant,  while  true  moUuscan  individuals 
are  ver}^  rare. 

In  the  spring  of  1891,  Mr.  Walcott  recorded  the  buckler-like 
plates  of  very  early  types  of  fishes,  as  occurring  in  Colorado, 
in  the  Trenton  series,  the  upper  Ordovician  of  America.'  So 
the  sea  of  Co.  Dublin  ma}-  not  have  been  absolutel}'  destitute 
of  fish,  but  these  remains  are  the  oldest  hitherto  recorded,  and 
the  first  British  fishes  are  found  at  the  top  of  the  Silurian. 

The  Ordovician  shales  may  be  well  seen  in  the  southern 
parts  of  the  county,  where  the  Dodder  and  other  streams  have 
cut  down  sufficiently  through  the  covering  of  drift.  A  fine 
section  occurs  near  Dargle  Bridge  on  the  road  from  Bray  to 
Knniskerry,  and  the  schist  formed  from  the  shales  by  contact 
with  the  granite  is  nowhere  better  seen  than  on  the  Killiney 
shore. 

Fig'  5- 


Microscopic  section  of  volcanic  ash,  north  end  of  promontor}-  of  Por- 
traine. Fragments  of  formerly  glassy  lavas,  with  felspar  crystals,  lie  in 
a  compact  gronnd  of  finer  ash.  x  30, 

On  Ireland's  Eye,  moreover,  the  smoother  ground  on  the 
back  of  the  quartzites  (fig.  i  in  our  last  number)  is  formed  of 
Ordovician  shales. 


Nature,  xliii,  p.  425. 


County  Dublin,  Past  and  Present.  35 

But  one  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  Ordovician 
of  Co.  Dublin  is  the  abundant  evidence  of  volcanic  action.    In 
the  upturned  conglomeratic  strata,  north  of  the  coral  limxcstone 
of  Portraine,  one  can  see,  at  low  water,  blocks  of  greenish  rock 
containing  crystals  of  felspar.      Beds  of  fine-grained  purple 
and  green  volcanic  ash  also  occur,  showing  that  cr>^stalline 
and  glassy  materials  were  being  throvv^n  out  from  some  neigh- 
bouring vent  into  the  Ordovician  sea.      The  microscope  aids 
us  in  recognising  these  materials  (fig.  5)  ;  but  the  visitor  can 
easily  detect  the  fragments  lying  in  the  ordinary  sediments. 
At  the  south  end  of  the  promontory,  a  massive  development 
of  igneous  rock  comes  up  below  the  sandy  shales.    Part  of  this 
shows  stratification  and  an  ash-like  character;  part  shows  the 
steam-vCvSicles  of  a  lava-flow,  now  infilled  with  calcite.      The 
greater  portion  of  Ivambay  Island  is  formed  of  a  "porphyry" 
that  has  broken  through  the  Ordovicians  in  a  molten  state  ; 
this  handsome  rock,  which  deserves  to  be  widely  known  as  an 
ornamental  stone,  is  little  inferior   in  effect   to   the   famous 
antique  green  porph3ay,  quarried  by  the  Romans  in  the  Morea. 
It  was  for  a  time  unable  to  rise  through  the  rocks  above  it, 
and  large  cr5'Stals  of  felspar'  developed  under  conditions  of 
pressure  and  slow  consolidation.     Then  relief  from  pressure 
came,  through  some  local  movement  of  the  rocks  ;  the  mass, 
with  its  contained  water,  began  to  flow  upward,  bearing  the 
"porphyritic"  crystals;  and  at  the  surface,  as  in  all  volcanos, 
the  water  of  the  molten  mass  burst  into  steam,  scattering  the 
fragments  of  lava  far  and  wide.      At  times  more  gentle  action 
caused  lava- flows  to  move  outward  from  the  crater  ;  the  accu- 
mulation of  these  and  of  the  tuffs  and  ashes  would  build  a 
conical  mountain  above  the  level  of  the  sea;  and  hence  prob- 
abl}^  on  the  site  of  I^ambay  Island,   in   Ordovician   times,  a 
volcanic  isle  was  reared,  fringed  with  coral  banks  as  in  the 
present  Pacific  Ocean.      Away  in  the  south  one  could  have 
seen  a  similar  cone  constructed  about  Tallaght  ;  while  farther 
still  huge  clouds  of  dust  and  steam  would  hang  above  the 
great   volcanos   of   Rathdrum   and   eastern   Wicklow.       The 
activity  seems  to  have  been  less  intense  than  in  corresponding 
times  in  Wales  ;  but  all  across  the  open  Ordovician  sea,  isle 
must  have  been  answering  isle  with  frequent  explosions  and 
outpourings  of  dark  fluid  lava  or  viscid  natural  glass.      The 
materials  in  Co.  Dublin  were  andesites  and  aphanites,  rocks 
with  some  sixt}^  per  cent,  of  silica ;  but  farther  south  highly- 
silicated  lava-flows  of  obsidian  were  poured  out,  comparable 
to  the  black  glassy  masses  of  the  Yellowstone  Park. 

The  glass  has  cr>^stallised  through  slow  subsequent  alter- 
ation ;  but  the  original  structures  of  fine  curving  shrinkage- 


'  These  have  been  incorrectly  described  as  Orthoclase  {G.  S.  /.  iy.,  p.  44) ; 
though  much  altered,  they  may  safely  be  referred  to  the  lime-soda 
felspars. 


36  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

cracks  ("perlitic"  structure),  and  spherical  aggregates  of 
imperfect  cp^stals  ("spherulitic"  structure),  remain  to  assure 
us  of  its  original  condition. 

For  such  volcanic  isles,  and  for  similar  products,  we  need 
not  at  the  present  day  go  to  eastern  seas.  The  I^ipari  Islands, 
north  of  Sicily,  serve  as  representatives  of  the  Ordovician 
cones  of  Co.  Dublin.  And  quite  recentl3^the  eruption  between 
Sicily  and  Tunis'  has  shown  us  how  submarine  action  flings 
up  pumice  and  scoriae  to  the  surface,  where  they  float  until 
water-logged,  finally  sinking  to  be  included  in  the  shell-beds, 
or  the  sediments  from  the  land. 

(TO   BTv    CONTINUED.) 


THE  COLEOPTKRA  OF  THE  ARMAGH  DISTRICT. 

BY  RKV.  W.  F.  JOHNSON,  M.A.,  F.^.S. 


{Contimied from  Page  18.) 


HATvIPI^ID^. 

BrycMus  elevatus,  Panz. — Dean's  river — not  common. 
Haliplus  obliqxms,  Kr. — Lough nashade — not  common. 
H.  coufinis,  Stepli. — Lowr3-\s  Lough — not  common. 
H.  fulvus,  F. — Lowr3''s  Lough — common. 
H.  ruficollis,  De  G. — Common  throughout  district. 
H.  fluviatilis,  Aube. — Loughnashade — not  common. 
H.  lineatocollis,  Marsh. — Common  throughout  district. 


D  V  T  I  s  c  I  D  ^. 

Noterus  clavicornis,  De  G. — Loughgall,  MulHnure — not  common. 

N.  sparsus,  Marsh. — Loughnashade,  Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough — pretty 

common. 
L?wCCopliilus  obsciirus,  Panz.— Lowry's  Lough,  etc.— common. 
Hyphydrus  ovatus,  L.— Loughgall,  Lowry's  Lough— common. 
CcBlambus  quinquelmeatiis,  Zett.— Lowry's  Lough,  etc. — common. 

C.  inosqualis,  F.— Common  throughout  district. 

C  novsmlineatus,  vSteph.— Lowry's  Lough— not  common. 

Bei'onectes  assimilis,  Payk.— Drummanmore  Lake,  Lowry's  Lough— not 

common. 
23.  depressus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

D.  duodscim-pustulatus,  Fab.— Dean's  River— plentiful  at  certain  spots. 
Hydroporus  pictus,  F.— Common  throughout  district. 

H.  lepidus,  Ol. — Pond  beside  railway  in  Drummanmore,  Lowry's  Lough 

— not  plentiful. 
H.  rivalis,  Gyll.— Dean's  River— rare. 
H.  davisii,  Curt.— Dean's  River,  Lowry's  Lough— scarce. 
H.  lineatus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 
H.  tristis,  Payk.— Mullinure— rare. 


'  G.  W.  Butler,  "  On  the  Eruption  N.  W.  of  Pantelleria,  October.  1891." 
Nature,  xlv.,  p.  251. 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Armagh  District.  37 

Eydropoms  umbrosus,  Gyll. — Miillinure,  Lowry's  Lough — not  common. 

H.  gyllenhalii,  Schiodte. — ]Mullinure — not  common. 

H.  jnorio,  Dej. — Mullinure,  Drummanbeg  Lake — pretty  common. 

H.  vittula,  Er. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  palustris,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  erythrocephalus,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  memnonius,  Nic. — Mullinure,  pretty  common. 

H.  obscurus,  Sturm. — Bog  near  the  Vicar's  Cairn. 

H.  nigrita,  Fab. — INIullinure,  Kdenmore — not  common. 

H.  pubescens,  Gyll. — Mullinure — rare. 

H.  planus,  F.  —Mullinure — fairly  common. 

H.  lituratus,  F. — Mullinure — common. 

Agfabus  paludosus,  F.— Miillinure,  Lowry's  Lough— not  common. 

A.  ungiiicularis,  Thonis.— ^Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough — not  common. 

A.  big"uttatus,  Ol. — IVIuUinure — rare. 

A.  nebulosus,  Forst. — Lowry's  Lough,  etc. — coriimon. 

A.  sturinii,  G^dl.— Common  throughout  district. 

A.  bipustiilatus,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

?  attr^  f^lgi^ostis,  F.  |    Common  throughout  district. 

I.  obscui'us,  Marsh. — Mullinure— not  common. 

SHiantiis  exoletus,  Forst. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure. 

R.  notatus,  Berg. — Low^ry's  Lough. 

Colymbetes  fuscus,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

Dytiscus  punctulatus,  F. — Mullinure — not  common. 

D.  marginalis,  L. — Common  throughout  district. 

D.  circumcinctus,  Ahr. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough— not  common. 

Acilius  sulcatus,  L.— Lowry's  Lough,  Loughgall. 

A.  fasciatus,  De.  G. — In  a  flax  hole  at  Beech  Hill. 


GYRINID^. 

Gyrinus  minutus,  F. — Pond  near  railway  in  Drummanmore — not  com- 
mon. 
G.  bicolor,  Payk. — Loughnashade,  Drummanbeg  Lake — rare. 
G.  natator,  Scop. — Common  throughout  district. 
G.  marmus,  Gyll.— Common  throughout  district. 
Orechtocliilus  villosus,  Miiller.— Dean's  River -not  common. 


HYDROPHIIvID^. 

Hydrobius  fuscipes,  L.--Common  throughout  district. 

Philhydrus  testaceus,  F. — Loughnashade,  in  moss  from  edge  of  drain — 

rare. 
P.  maritimus,  Thonis.— Lowry's  Lough— rare. 
P.  melanocephalxis,  Ol.— Lowry's  Lough— rare. 
Anacaesia  globuUis,  Payk.     |    Common  throughout  district. 
A.  limbata,  T .  )  . 

Laccobius  sinuatus,  Mots.— Dean's  River.  Mullinure— pretty  common. 
L.  alutaceus;  Thorns.— Drummanbeg  Lake,  Mullinure,  Loughnashade— 

prettv  common. 
L.  minutus,  L.— Lowry's  Lough— not  common. 
L.  bipunctatus,  F.— Lowry's  Lough,  etc.— common. 

Limnebius  truncatellus,  Thoms.    \  ^i^^xXxixxxr^,  etc.- common. 

L.  papposus,  Muls.  ) 

L.  nitidus.    Marsh.  —  Drummanbeg   Lake,    Mullinure,    in    moss  —  not 

common. 
Chsetarthria     siminulum,     Herbst.— Loughnashade,   in    moss— not 

common. 
Helophorus,  nubilus,  F.— INIullinure,  in  flood  rubbish— also  in  drains. 


38  The  Irish  NaUiralist. 

Helopliorus  aquaticus,  Iv.  ] 

H.  seneipennis,  Thorns.        [    Common  throughout  district. 

H.  brevipalpis,  Bedel.  ) 

H.  arvernicus,  Muls. — Folly,  Mullinure— not  common. 

O.  bicolon,  Getm.  )    Common  tnroughout  district. 

Hydraena  riparia,  Kug. — Mullinure,  etc.  — common. 

H.  iiigrita,  Germ. — Mullinure^not  common. 

Cyclonotum  orbiculare,  F. — Lough nashade,  Mullinure,  in  moss — prett}- 

common. 
Spliseridium  scarabseoides,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 
S.  bipustulatum,  Fab. — Near  the  Poor  House — uncommon. 
Cercyon  depressum,  Stepli. — one  specimen  in  Mullinure. 
C.  lisemorrhious,  Gyll. 
C.  haemorrhoidalis,  Herbst,  j 

C.  fiaviijes,  F.  >    Common  throughout  district. 

G.  lateralis,  Marsh.  \ 

C.  riielanocephalus,  Iv. 

C.  unipunctatus,  L. — Widely  distributed,  but  not  common. 
C.  pygniseus,  111. — Mullinure,  Dean's  Hill — pretty  common. 
C.  analis,  Payk. — Lowry's  Lough,  etc. — common. 
C.  lugubris,  Payk. — Lowr3''s  Lough — rare. 
C  minutus,  Muls. — Mullinure — not  common. 
Meg'asternum  boletopliagum — Mullinure,  etc.— common. 
Cryptopleuriini  atoiaarium,  Muls. — Common  throughout  district. 


STAPHYIylNID^. 

Aleochara  fuscipes,  F. — Mullinure,  in  dead  bird — not  common. 

A.  bipunctata,  01. — Mullinure,  in  moss,  etc. — not  common. 

A.  cuniculorum,  Kraatz — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

A.  lan-uginosa,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 

A.  moesta,  Grav. — Mullinure— rare. 

A.  nitida,  Grav.— Mullinure,  Killeen,  in  moss — pretty  common. 

Ozypoda  opaca,  Grav. — Mullinure,  etc.,  in  moss — fairly  common. 

O.  umbrata,  Grav.— Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — rare. 

O.  longiuscula,  Er. — Common  throughout  district. 

Ilyobates  nigricollis,  Payk. — A  single  specimen  in  my  house. 

Calodsra  sethioias,  Grav. — Ver}^  rare. 

Myrinedonia  collaris,  Payk. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

Astilbus  caiialiciilatus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

Alianta  incana,  Er. — ISIullinure,  sweeping  ;  in  stems  of  Typha  latifolia  in 

bog  near  Alistragh. 
Homalota  gregaria,  Er. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 
K.  imbcciila,  Wat. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  in  moss — fairly  common. 
H.  luteipes,  Er. — ?>Iullinure — rare. 

H.  luridipeiinis,  Mann. — IMullinure,  in  flood  rubbish — rare. 
H.  gyllenhalii.  Thorns. — Mullinure — rare. 
H.  eloiigatula,  Grav. — IVIuUinure,  Dean's  Hill,  in  moss. 
H.  volans,  Scriba. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 
H.  oblongiuscula,  Sharp. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
H.  vicina,  Steph. — Common  throughout  district. 
H.  pagana,  Er.— Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
H.  graminicola,  Gyll.— Common  throughout  district. 
H.  circellaris,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 
H.  elegantula,  Bris. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
H.  analis,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 
H.  aquatica,  Thorns. — Near  Grange,  Islullinure — not  common. 
H.  zanthoptera,  Steph.  —Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — not  common. 

(TO  be;  continued.) 


[39  ] 
PROCEEDINGS    OF    IRISH    SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI^OGICAI,  SOCIETY. 

Three  monkej's  have  lately  been  purchased  for  the  collections.  Two 
of  these  —  the  Mandrill  [Cynoccphahis  inaimon)  and  the  sooty  Mangabey 
{Ccrcoccbus fiiliginosns) — are  from  Africa.  The  other  species  is  the  Barri- 
gudo  or  "  Nigger  Monkey"  [Lagothrix  Jmmboldtii),  from  South  America. 

Miss  Wilson  Patten  has  presented  an  Indian  M3'nah  {Acridothercs  gingi- 
niantis)  to  the  Society. 

The  Aquarium  has  been  placed  by  the  Council  under  the  supervi.sion 
of  Dr.  R.  F.  Scharff,  who  will  be  assisted  in  the  alterations  to  that 
department  by  M.  Deniset,  of  Paris,  who  has  given  much  attention  to 
the  culture  of  fish.  A  series  of  tanks  will  be  arranged,  showing  the 
development  of  different  species.  The  Aquarium  has  been  enriched  by 
donations  of  fish  from  Mr.  Godden,  and  also  by  the  purchase  of  a  hundred 
gold-fish. 

Over  4,000  persons  visited  the  gardens  in  March. 


DUBININ  MICROSCOPICAL   CI,UB. 

March  iSth.— The  Club  met  at  Dr.  R.  F.  Scharff 's,  vrho  exhibited  a 
cross-section  through  the  body  of  a  Gephyrean  worm  {Priapuhis  caiidatiis), 
to  show  the  structure  of  the  nerve  cord.  The  latter  is  remarkable  for 
the  fact  that  it  lies  entirely  in  the  outer  body-layer  or  ectoderm,  a  con- 
dition which  is  extremely  rare  in  an  adult  higher  invertebrate.  Ani- 
mals generally  pass  through  that  stage  in  early  life,  but  the  nerve  cord 
migrates  further  towards  the  interior  of  the  body  later  on,  and  is  gene- 
ralh^  found  in  connection  with  the  mesoderm  in  the  adult.  The  section 
showed  the  ectodermic  cells  actually  merging  into  true  ganglion  cells, 
thus  illustrating  an  instructive  fact  in  the  development  of  animal  tissues. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  showed  sections  through  the  crop  and  gizzard  of 
the  cockroach  {Fejjplanefa  orientalis). 

Professor  G.  A.  J.  Cole  showed  specimens  oi  Xanthidia,  discovered  in 
the  London  clay  of  Sheppey  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Wetherell,  F.G.S.,  and  kindly 
sent  to  the  meeting  by  that  gentleman.  These  minute  globular  bodies, 
with  bifurcating  processes,  are  capable  of  being  stained  in  microscopic 
preparations.  Hitherto  they  have  been  best  known  from  sections  of 
Cretaceous  flints.  It  has  been  suggested  that  they  were  radiolarians  ; 
but  they  have  been  generally  regarded  as  zygospores  of  desmids,  a  view 
which  was  supported  in  the  discussion  which  followed  the  examination 
of  these  perfect  specimens. 


BEI/FAST  NATURAI.  HISTORY  AND   PHII^OSOPHICAI,  SOCIETY. 

April  5th. — The  President,  Prof.  Fitzgerald,  in  the  Chair.  Mr.  Allan 
P.  Swan  read  a  paper  on  "  Milk  and  its  Ferments."  The  reader  pointed 
out  that  milk  as  secreted  b}-  a  healthy  animal  is  quite  sterile,  and  that 
fermentation  is  entirel}^  due  to  contact  with  the  air,  which  is  full  of 
the  spores  of  micro-organisms.  He  theil  went  on  to  describe  the  Cauca- 
sian fermented  milk-drinks  of  "  Koumiss  "  and  "  Kiphir,"  and  showed 
their  importance  as  articles  of  food  to  the  wandering  tribes  who  used 
them.  The  paper  was  illustrated  by  lantern  slides,  and  by  a  microsco- 
pical demonstration. 


ARMAGH  NATURAL  HISTORY  AND   PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY. 

March  29tli. — The  President,  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson,  M.A.,  in  the  Chair. 
Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  M.R.I. A.,  read  a  paper  entitled  "A  Deep-sea 
Dredging  Expedition."  An  account  was  given  of  the  expedition  sent 
out  by  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  in  1888  to  explore  the  deep  waters  off 
the  S.W.  coast  of  Ireland.  The  appliances  and  theory  of  deep-sea  dredging 
were  first  gone  into,  and  a  narrative  of  the  cruise  was  then  given.     The 


40  The  Irish  Nattu^alist. 

paper  was  illustrated  by  photographs,  drawings,  apparatus,  and  speci- 
mens. 

Aprii,  nth.— The  President  in  the  Chair.     Mr.  E.  Iv.  Fischer  read  a 
paper  on  "Music  Without  and  Within." 


DUBININ  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI^D   C%UB. 

Aprii,  I2th.— The  President,  Dr.  E.J.  M'WkenEY,  in  the  Chair.  Prof. 
G.  A.  J.  Cole,  F.G.S.,  gave  a  paper  on  "  The  Geology  of  the  Scalp  and  its 
Neighbourhood."  The  Scalp  is  believed  by  Prof.  Cole  to  have  been  cut 
by  a  stream  flowing  southward  from  the  high  district  which  must  for- 
merly have  existed  to  the  north  of  the  present  granite  ridge,  before  the 
Carboniferous  beds  had  been  removed  by  denudation.  This  explanation 
was  given  some  years  ago  by  Prof  Hull.  The  sands  and  gravels  of  Glen- 
cuUen  were  also  described  and  compared  with  similar  features  in  Alpine 
valleys.  The  interesting  question  of  the  marine  shells  in  these  gravels 
at  high  levels  was  discussed.  The  paper  was  illustrated  by  views  shown 
in  the  optical  lantern.  The  concluding  picture  represented  the  supposed 
condiition  of  the  Dublin  mountains  as  seen  from  the  sea  at  the  period  of 
excavation  of  the  Scalp,  with  glaciers  and  torrents  flowing  down  their 
gorges  from  snowfields  at  an  elevation  of  7,500  feet.  Rev.  M.  H.  Close 
expressed  his  agreement  with  the  views  of  Professors  Hull  and  Cole  as 
to  the  origin  of  the  Scalp.  He  stated  that  the  gravel-beds  with  marine 
shells  high  on  the  Two-Rock  Mountain,  described  in  his  work  on  "The 
.  Glaciation  of  Ireland,"  had  since  been  entirely  cleared  away.  Mr.  W.  W. 
Watts  thought  that  the  amount  of  denudation  previous  to  the  glacial 
period  must  have  been  too  great  to  allow  at  that  time  such  a  height  for 
the  Dublin  mountains  as  Prof.  Cole  had  suggested.  Mr.  J.  J.  Dowling 
also  took  part  in  the  discussion.  Prof.  Cole  stated  that  a  new  gravel-pit 
at  a  high  level  is  now  in  course  of  excavation. 

Mr.  F.  Neale  sent  for  exhibition  specimens  of  Trochilmm  crabroniforniis, 
CI.,  with  larvae  and  pupa  cases  (see  note,  p.  42)  taken  in  the  Co.  Dublin. 
He  also  sent  various  species  of  Lepidoptera  from  the  Limerick  district, 
among  which  Thccla  rubi,  L. ,  from  Cratloe,  Co.  Clare,  and  Smerinthus  ocel- 
laius,  h.,  were  noteworthy. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  showed  a  female  specimen  ofAyssia  zonaria,  vSchiff, 
from  Achill  Island  (see  p.  42) ;  larvae  of  Cossus  ligniperda,  L.,  found  by 
Mr.  Thomas  Greene  at  INIillbrook,  Co.  Kildare  ;  and  two  species  of  Pyc- 
nogonida.  One  of  these,  Fhoxichilus  spinosus,  Mont.,  from  Dublin  Bay,  is 
new  to  the  Irish  coast,  and  the  other,  a  Nyinphon,  from  Ballina,  appears 
to  be  new  to  science. — (See  note,  p.  42). 

Mr.  W.  W.  Watts  asked  members  interested  in  photography  to  assist 
the  committee  appointed  by  the  British  Association  for  collecting  photo- 
graphs of  geological  features. 


CORK   NATURAI^ISTS'    FIIvI<D   CI,UB. 

Aprii.  1st.— The  President,  Profkssor  Hartog,  D.Sc,  F.Iv.S.,  in  the 
Chair.  The  rules  drafted  by  the  Committee  were  passed  after  a  few 
amendments.  The  names  of  W.J.  Knight,  LL.D.,  and  V.  Cotter,  M.D., 
were  added  to  the  Vice-Presidents.  The  President  then  gave  a  discourse 
entitled  "A  Gossip  on  Pond  Life,"  which  unfortunately  had  to  be  cur- 
tailed. Having  dealt  with  the  various  microscopic  denizens  of  the  ponds, 
streams,  and  stagnant  water,  he  described  their  various  forms,  habits, 
and  modes  of  propagation,  and  especially  pointed  out  the  vast  field  for 
research  opened  b}-  the  aid  of  the  microscope.  A  discussion  then  took 
place  as  to  the  best  mode  of  recording  the  work  done  by  the  Club. 

Aprii,  8th.— The  President  in  the  Chair.  The  Right  Rev.  Dr.  O'Shee- 
han,  Bishop  of  Waterford,  was  unanimously  elected  a  Vice-President, 
and  Mr.  R.  A.  Phillips  was  appointed  Curator  of  the  Society's  proposed 
museum. 

Miss  H.  A.  Martin,  M.R.C.P.,  gave  a  discourse  on  "Plant  Life." 
Having  explained,  by  the  aid  of  diagrams  and  specimens,  the  structure 


Proceedings  of  Irish  Societies.  41 

of  plants  in  general  and  their  classification,  Miss  Martin  gave  a  graphic 
description  of  the  flora  to  be  seen  in  the  woods  and  marshes  in  the 
neighbourhood.  The  President  spoke  on  the  use  of  the  microscope  in 
examining  the  different  forms  of  minute  fungi.  Mr.  O'SuUivan  gave 
some  interesting  information  as  to  the  finding  of  Spiranthcs  romanzoviana 
in  County  Cork.  An  interesting  discussion  on  plant-collecting  and  pre- 
serving then  followed. 


ROYAI.   IRISH  ACADEMY. 

Aprii,  iith. — Rev.  Dr.  S.  Haughton,  F.R.vS.,  read  papers  on  "New- 
tonian Chemistry"  and  "A  Simple  Account  of  Chemical  Valenc}'  on 
Newtonian  Principles."  Dr.  W.  Frazer  read  a  paper  "  On  the  Bronze 
Instruments  usually  described  as  Sickles."  The  vSecretary  communica- 
ted a  paper  by  Dr.  Parker,  F.R.S.,  "  On  the  Anatomy  and  Physiolq 
Piotopterus  annectens .''' 


NOTES 


BOTANY. 


FERNS. 

Trichomanes  radicans  in  Co.  Tyrone.  This  plant  was  found 
j^ear  by  my  brother,  Mr.  G.  G.  Delap,  Mdthin  five  miles  of  Strabane.  The 
locality  faces  almost  west,  and  is  shaded  from  the  sun.  There  appeared 
to  be  three  large  tufts  or  plants  within  a  small  area. — Rev.  Alex.  H. 
Delap,  Tamney,  (in  the  Journal  of  Botany  for  April).  This  is  a  very 
important  and  decidedly  unexpected  addition  to  the  flora  of  district  10 
of  "  Cybele  Hibernica." 


ANGIOSPERMS. 

Carex  aquatilis  in  IreIvAND.  While  botanizing  along  the  banks  of 
the  river  Main,  in  Shane's  Castle  park,  in  Co.  Antrim,  in  June  last,  I 
came  across  a  luxuriant  growth  of  this  plant  in  a  ditch  of  standing  water 
communicating  with  the  river,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  where  it 
flows  into  Ivough  Neagh.  This  sedge,  which  was  formerly  accounted  of 
such  extreme  rarity  in  Britain,  and  which  was  first  obtained  in  Ireland 
by  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  in  1883,  in  Co.  Roscommon,  is  now  added  to  the 
flora  of  district  12  of  "  Cybele  Hibernica."  The  plant  grows  very  luxu- 
riantly at  the  present  station,  the  stems  being  three  to  four  feet  long, 
and  the  bracts  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  in  length.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
stream,  a  mile  and  a  half  further  down,  I  observed  from  the  eastern 
bank  an  extensive  grove  of  a  large  Carcx  on  the  opposite  shore,  which  is 
very  possibly  the  same  plant,  but  had  no  opportunity  of  obtaining  speci- 
mens of  it.  The  station  above-mentioned  is,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  the 
lowest  yet  observed  for  C.  aqiialilis  in  Ireland,  being  only  about  fort3--five 
feet  above  high  tide  level.  The  specimens  were  kindly  determined  for  me 
by  Mr.  Arthur  Bennett,  F.L.S.,  who  refers  them  to  var.  datior  Bab. — 
R.  Ivloyd  Praeger. 

Vaccinum  vitis-idcea  AT  i.ow^  levels.  Commenting  on  Mr.  More's 
note  on  this  subject  in  the  Journal  of  Botany  for  March,  Mr.  S.  A.  vStewart 
writes  in  the  April  number  of  the  same  publication,  that  for  thirteen 
years  he  has  known  the  plant  to  grow  in  two  stations  at  Rasharkin,  Co. 
Antrim,  one  slightly  above  500  feet  elevation,  the  other  slightly  below 
500  feet. 


42  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

ZOOLOGY. 


PYCNOGONID  A. 

A  NEW  Nymphon  and  Phoxicliilus  spinosus  on  the  Irish  Coast. 
I  received  early  in  April  from  Miss  A.  Warren,  of  Moyview,  Ballina,  a 
fine  adult  male  Ayni//ioii,  which  was  alive,  and  carried  masses  of  eggs  on 
its  accessory  limbs.  ^  The  species  appears  to  be  new,  and  1  will  shortly 
describe  and  figure  it. 

After  the  violent  S.E.  gale  of  October,  1SS9,  Dr.  Scharif  secured  a 
number  of  Pycnogonida  on  seaweed  thrown  ashore  at  the  North  Bull, 
Dublin  Bay.  These  prove  to  be  riioxichihis  spinosus,  Mont.,  a  species 
which,  I  believe,  has  not  yet  been  found  in  Irish  waters.  This  interesting 
form  has  been  dredged  at  moderate  depths  (ten  to  fifteen  fathoms)  off 
the  coasts  of  Norway,  North  V.'ales,  Devonshire,  and  France.  A  very 
nearly  related  species  {P.  vulgaris,  Dolirn)  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean. 
— G.  H.  Carpenter. 


INSEC  rs. 

C01.EOPTERA  AT  Hor^YwooD,  Co.  Down.  In  December  last  year  Dr. 
vScharff  brought  me  two  species  of  beetles  from  Cultra  Wood,  neither  of 
which  appear  to  have  been  taken  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson  in  January 
(pp.  18,  19).  These  are  Helophonts  aqiiatkiis  and  Silpha  subrotnndata. — G.  H. 
Carpenter. 

SJyssia  zonaria  on  Achii,i,  Island.  A  female  of  this  very  rare  and 
local  moth  was  found  on  the  sandhills  of  Achill  Island  early  in  April  by 
Mr.  J.  R.  Sheridan,  by  whom  it  was  sent  to  Mr.  A.  G.  More,  who  kindly 
passed  it  on  to  me  for  the  Museum  collections.  The  only  Irish  localit}^ 
hitherto  known  is  Ball3xastle,  Co.  Antrim,  where  Mr.  Campbell  took  it  in 
1884  and  Mr.  Bristow  in  1889.  In  Great  Britain  it  occurs  only  on  the  sand- 
hills of  the  Lancashire,  Cheshire,  and  N.  Wales  coasts. — G.  H.  Carpenter. 

Trochilium  crabroniformis.  This  "clearwing,"  closely  resembling 
a  large  wasp  or  hornet  in  appearance,  seems  to  be  common  in  Co.  Dublin, 
if  one  may  judge  by  the  large  number  of  poplar  and  willow  trees  in  the 
stems  of  which  the  borings  or  tunnels  of  its  larvae  may  be  seen.  These 
gimlet-like  holes  are  to  be  found  at  Portraine,  Malahide,  Portmarnock, 
Howth,  and  Shankill,  near  the  sea  coast,  and  they  also  prevail  largely 
inland  at  Terenure,  Templeogue,  and  Crumlin,  etc.,  being  especially 
abundant  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jobstown  and  Swiftbrook.  My  atten- 
tion was  first  directed  to  them  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1889,  as  causing 
the  gradual  destruction  of  some  weeping  willows  at  a  gentleman's  resi- 
dence near  Terenure.  In  April  of  the  following  year  one  of  the  willows 
looked  so  sickly,  and  had  put  on  foliage  so  poorly  the  former  season, 
that  its  owner  decided  to  cut  it  down,  and,  through  the  kindness  of  his 
son,  I  secured  two  pieces  of  the  stem,  each  some  sixteen  or  eighteen 
inches  long,  literally  riddled  with  old  borings,  and  evidently  containing 
living  larvae.  I  at  once  placed  them  in  large  flower-pots,  covering  one  end 
to  the  depth  of  about  one  inch  with  earth,  and  securing  the  other  to  the 
rims  of  the  pots  with  wires,  so  as  to  prevent  their  shaking  or  falling 
down.  This  was  on  the  24th  of  the  month,  and  for  the  following  six 
weeks  or  thereabouts  the  stumps  stood  in  a  window  facing  the  west,  and 
had  water  poured  over  them  freely  twice  a-day,  being  partially  screened, 
when  deemed  necessary,  from  the  strong  afternoon  sunshine.  F'^rom  a 
horticultural  point  of  view  they  looked  very  unpromising  subjects 
indeed;  but  plainl}^  they  contained  plenty  of  life,  as  from  about  fourteen 
different  places/r<7i\y  was  being  constantly  and  abundantly  ejected  by  the 
invisible  larvae.  On  the  9tli  of  June,  at  about  8.30  a.m.,  my  care  and 
attention  to  the  plantation  were  rewarded  by  the  appearance  of  a  fine 
imago  at  rest  on  one  of  the  stumps,  the  empty  and  shattered  pupa  case 
lying  on  the  surface  of  the  cla}',  thus  affording  no  clue  as  to  the  spot  from 
whence  the  insect  had  come.     From  this  date  until  the  3rd  July  some 


Notes.  43 

ten  others  put  in  an  appearance,  all  perfect  in  form  and  condition,  and 
two  more  perished  in  the  act  of  emerging,  apparently  owdng  to  the 
mouths  of  their  tunnels  being  too  small  for  them  to  pass  through. 
Hoping  to  secure  specimens  of  T.  apiforviis  from  affected  poplar  trees,  I 
searched  for  that  species  on  three  mornings  between  the  hours  of  eight 
and  nine  o'clock  in  the  latter  days  of  June,  but  did  not  succeed  in  finding 
it,  as,  although  I  took  four  insects,  they  were  all  7'.  crabroniformis.  This 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  same  insect  feeds  on  the  two  kinds  of 
wood — viz.,  willow  and  poplar,  indiscriminately,  at  least  in  Co.  Dublin. 
I  had  great  pleasure  in  giving  some  of  my  takings  to  interested  friends 
whilst  still  fresh  and  unset,  not  knowing  that  I  should  lose  several  of 
those  retained  from  grease,  their  bodies  to  all  appearance,  in  some  cases, 
becoming  quite  corrupt  and  breaking  up.  All,  however,  did  not  go  this 
way,  and  I  have  successfully  restored  the  beautiful  black  and  bright 
yellow  bandings  on  others  by  total  immersion  in  pi  we  benzole  for  a  period 
of  twent3'-four  hours.  This  remedy  I  tried  by  the  advice  of  an  English 
entomologist,  who  states  that  he  has  repeatedly  used  it  vnth.  good  effect 
on  greasy  insects  of  various  kinds.  I  find  borings,  but  not  at  all  com- 
monly, in  this  locality  also,  and  have  taken  one  specimen  of  T.  craboni- 
fo7'mis. — Francis  Neale,  lyimerick. 


FISHES. 

Pike  (Esox  lucius)  in  the  Shannon.  Some  remarkably  large  pike" 
have  been  killed  in  the  Shannon,  near  Bannagher.  One,  shot  by  a  Mr. 
MTntyre,  weighed  55  lbs.,  and  several  caught  by  the  local  fishermen 
have  exceeded  30  lbs. — Land  and  Water,  April  2nd, 

Pipe  Fishes  at  Cork  and  Kii^i^ala.  — In  th.e  Zoologist  for  April  Mr. 
R.  Warren  writes  that  he  has  often  taken  the  ^quorial  Pipe-fish  {Nero- 
phis  eequoreiis)  and  the  Greater  Pipe-fish  {Syngnathus  acus)  when  trawling  in 
Cork  harbour,  and  that  he  has  procured  the  Lesser  Pipe-fish  {Siphonostoina 
typhle)  in  Killala  Bay,  the  species  having  been  determined  by  the  late 
William  Thompson. 

Leptocephai^us  i.arv.^  of  Conger  at  Kii,i,ai,a  Bay. — Mr.  R.  War- 
ren, in  the  Zoologist  for  April,  also  records  the  occurrence  at  Killala  Bay 
of  two  examples  of  the  strange  larval  form  of  the  Conger,  formerly  known 
as  Leptocephalns  viorrissii. 

BIRDS. 

.  Birds  singing  at  night.  That  there  are  a  few  species  of  birds 
which  habitually  sing  after  nightfall  is  a  well-known  fact.  These  are, 
however,  chiefly  summer  visitors ;  but  when  some  of  the  ordinary  cho- 
risters of  our  woods  break  through  their  usual  habit,  and  enliven  the 
hours  of  midnight  darkness  with  their  song,  it  calls  for  some  remark. 
On  the  night  of  February  9th  last,  about  eight  p.m.,  I  heard  a  Blackbird 
chattering  loudly  in  the  demesne  here  (Hillsljorough,  Co.  Down)  among 
the  trees  near  the  edge  of  the  lake.  About  half  an  hour  after  midnight, 
while  I  stood  in  the  silent  and  desertecl  streets  of  the  town,  a  perfect 
chorus  of  Blackbirds  could  be  heard  singing  in  the  woods  all  round. 
Perhaps  a  dozen  or  more  of  their  voices  could  be  heard  at  once,  some 
distant,  some  close  by.  Occasionall}'  one  or  more  of  the  singers  would 
vary  the  performance  by  breaking  out  into  the  loud  chattering  alarm 
cry,  as  if  laughing  at  the  unusual  effect  of  the  concert  in  the  silent  mid- 
night woods.  The  night  was  very  mild,  calm,  and  cloudy,  though  with 
a  good  deal  of  light,  the  moon  being  near  the  full.  As  long  as  I  listened 
this  peculiar  concert  was  kept  up.  What  makes  this  even  more  renuirk- 
able  is,  that  at  the  time  the  Blackbird  was  only  just  beginning  to  tune 
the  first  notes  of  his  spring  song,  even  during  the  daytime.  I  did  not 
hear  the  notes  of  any  other  species  except  tlie  Blackbird. — Rev.  Allan 
Ellison,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down. 


44  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

The  Tree-Creeper  (Certhia  familiaris)  as  a  song-bird.— Most  of 
our  writers  on  ornithology  describe  the  Tree-creeper  as  a  non-singing 
bird,  asserting  that  it  has  but  a  single  note — the  shrill  "  cheep"  which  it 
utters  now  and  then  as  it  runs  up  the  trunk  of  a  tree  or  along  a  stout 
branch,  sometimes  giving  forth  a  quick,  hurried  repetition  of  the  same. 
I  wonder  how  many  of  our  ornithologists  know  that  this  is  a  mistake. 
The  Tree-creeper  is  a  song-bird,  but,  for  various  reasons,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  the  fact  is  not  generally  known.  Firstly  (writing  from  my  own 
experience),  the  period  during  which  the  bird  sings  is  very  limited.  I 
have  never  heard  the  song  earlier  than  the  end  of  March,  nor  later  than 
the  middle  of  INIa}'.  Secondh',  it  sings  very  rarely,  and  usually  early  in 
the  morning.  Thirdh',  the  observer,  on  hearing  the  song,  turns  to  the 
point  from  whence  it  came,  and  anxiousl}'^  awaits  for  it  to  be  repeated ; 
but,  as  the  bird  will  not  sing  again  for  some  time,  he  grows  tired  of 
waiting,  and  passes  on  his  way,  ascribing  what  he  has  heard  to  the 
nearest  Robin,  this  bird  having  some  rolls  which  somewhat  resemble 
the  song  of  the  Tree-creeper.  It  was  the  late  Miss  Massy,  the  discoverer 
of  the  Redstart  as  a  breeding  species  in  Ireland,  who  finst  drew  my  atten- 
tion to  the  Tree-creeper's  song.  This  lady  being  one  of  the  most 
accurate  observers  of  bird-life  that  I  ever  knew,  I  could  not  doubt  her 
statement ;  so  in  the  ensuing  spring  I  spent  a  great  deal  of  time,  early 
and  late,  about  the  breeding  haunts  of  the  bird,  and  received  abundant 
practical  confirmation  of  her  observations. — ^James  Johnston,  Novara, 
Bray. 

Whooper  (Cygnus  musicus)  and  Rough-t^egged  Buzzard  (Buteo 
lagopus)  IN  Co.  DoNEGAi^.  A  Whooper  was  shot  at  Horn  Head,  Co. 
Donegal,  towards  the  end  of  October  last,  and  during  the  last  week  of 
November  a  male  Rough-legged  Buzzard  was  killed  at  the  same  place. — 
H.  Beecher  (in  the  Field,  March  12). 

Jays  (Garrulus  glandarius)  in  County  Westmeath.  My  friend, 
Mr.  H.  C.  Levinge,  tells  me  that  his  gamekeeper  vshot  a  jay,  and  saw 
another  a  few  da^-s  ago  at  Knockdrin  Castle.  This  is  the  first  time  that 
I  have  heard  of  the  occurrence  of  the  Jay  in  County  Westmeath.— A.  G. 
More  (in  Irish  Sportsman,  March  12). 

White  Snipe  (Gallinago  ccelestis).  In  the  Irish  Sportsman  for  March 
19th,  Mr.  Daniel  Dodd}-  records  a  perfectl}'  White  Snipe  which  he  shot 
near  Abbeyfeale,  Co.  Limerick,  about  a  year  ago.  It  had  pinkish  eyes 
and  legs;  the  bill  was  of  the  normal  colour. 

Reported  Occurrence  of  the  Ferruginous  Duck  (Puligula 
ixyroca)  in  Queen's  County  incorrect.  In  the  Field  for  March  26th 
Mr.  A.  G.  More  writes  that  the  Ferruginous  Duck  reported  from  Queen's 
County  in  the  Field  of  January  30,  turns  out  on  examination  to  be  a  female 
Golden-eye  {Clangula glaucion). 

MAM  MA  LS. 

New  Variety  of  the  Extinct  Irish  Deer  (Cervus  giganteus). 

In  Land  and  Water  for  March  26  jNIr.  R.  1,3'dekker  describes  and  figures  an 
interesting  new  variety  of  the  Irish  Deer,  of  which  antlers  have  been 
recently  obtained  at  Kottbus  and  near  Worms.  It  differs  from  the  type 
chiefly  in  the  upward  and  forward  (instead  of  outward  horizontal)  exten- 
.sion  of  the  antlers,  and  in  the  position  of  the  plane  of  the  antlers,  the 
anterior  edge  being  twisted  inward,  so  that  the  outer  faces  of  the  antlers 
are  visible  from  the  front,  instead  of  the  inner  face,  as  in  the  type.  The 
trez-tine  is  also  much  longer  than  in  the  normal  form.  Irish  naturalists 
will  do  well  to  look  out  for  this  interesting  form  in  their  own  country, 
which  appears  to  have  been  the  head-quarters  of  Cervus  giganteus. 

In  Land  and  Water  for  April  16  an  illustration  is  given  of  a  fine  pair  of 
antlers  of  this  species,  eleven  feet  in  span,  and  possessing  a  double  trez- 
tine.  The  specimen  was  obtained  somewhere  in  Ireland,  but  particulars 
are  not  forthcoming. 


Vol..  I.  JUNK,  1892.  No.  3. 

THK  IRISH  I.AND  AND  FRESHWATER   MOI.I.USCA. 

BY  R.  F.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 


Thf  fact  that  Ireland  possesses  several  species  and  many 
varieties  of  land  and  freshwater  mollusca  not  found  in  Great 
Britain  may  justify  my  giving  a  more  extended  account  of 
them  than  has  hitherto  been  published. 

A  casual  observer  may  not  be  acquainted  with  more  than 
half  a  dozen  different  kinds  of  slugs  and  snails,  and  it  requires 
most  diligent  search  at  different  seasons  of  the  year  to  obtain 
all  the  one  hundred  and  eleven  species  which  are  now  known 
to  occur  in  Ireland.  It  should  be  remembered  that  on  a 
country   walk  no  stone  should  be  left  unturned. 

lyand  shells  may  be  collected  at  all  times  of  the  year,  but 
the  summer  and  autumn  are  the  best  seasons.  As  a  rule, 
damp  localities  are  the  most  likely  to  yield  a  rich  har\^est, 
though  some  species,  like  Helix  pisana,  H.  virgata,  and  H, 
ericetorum,  seem  to  prefer  dry  and  grassy  slopes.  Most  of  the 
freshwater  mollusca,  such  as  all  the  Pla?iorbes,  and  many  of 
the  LiimicscB,  live  in  stagnant  or  slowly-moving  waters,  and  a 
very  fine-meshed  net  will  be  useful  in  exploring  ditches  and 
ponds. 

The  external  shell  of  the  mollusca  is  so  characteristic,  and 
affords  such  excellent  specific  distinctions,  that  for  the  col- 
lector it  is  not  necessary  to  retain  the  animal,  which  can  be 
easily  removed  with  a  pin  after  the  shell  has  been  immersed 
in  boiling  water  for  a  few  minutes.  The  heat  of  the  water 
not  only  kills  the  animal  instantaneously,  but  relaxes  the 
columellar  muscle,  by  means  of  which  the  animal  is  fixed  to 
the  shell. 

Having  secured  the  shell  and  thoroughly  cleaned  it,  I  would 
urge  on  the  collector  the  very  great  importance  of  recording 
the  locality  where  the  specimen  has  been  taken.  The  princi- 
pal maxim  in  fact  is — label  your  specimen  with  the  name  of  the 
locality  in  which  it  was  found.  The  date  of  the  capture  may 
be  useful  too,  but  is  not  of  such  importance,  and  the 
scientific  name  of  the  animal  can  be  added  at  an}^  time. 

A 


46  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Slugs,  or  mollusca  without  an  external  shell,  are  best  pre- 
served in  spirits,  as  the  small  shell,  which  is  in  many  forms 
found  under  the  mantle  in  the  head  region,  does  not  afford 
an}^  very  reliable  mode  of  distinguishing  the  species. 

The  collecting  of  land  and  freshwater  shells  might  be 
thought  b}^  some  to  be  a  rather  aimless  amusement,-  from 
which  little  scientific  truth  could  be  obtained,  but  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  vast  majority  of  animal  remains  found 
fossil  in  rocks  are  shells,  and  that  a  good  knowledge  of  recent 
forms  will  help  us  to  identify  the  fossil  ones.  The  age  of 
rocks  in  different  places  is  almost  altogether  determined  by 
the  nature  of  the  fossils  contained  in  them,  and,  by  tracing 
certain  species  through  a  series  of  geological  strata  in  a  num- 
ber of  places,  we  are  able  to  learn  a  good  deal  as  to  the  origin 
of  the  species,  and  the  cause  of  their  present  distribution. 

One  of  the  most  instructive  branches  of  natural  history  is 
the  study  of  Geographical  Distribution  of  Animals,  and  land 
and  freshwater  mollusca  are  particularlj'  suitable  to  elucidate 
research  in  this  direction,  as  their  migration  is  very  limited, 
and  the}^  are  not  transported  so  easily  by  accidental  causes  as 
many  other  kinds  of  animals. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  list  of  Irish  land  and  freshwater 
mollusca,  I  have  been  very  kindly  assisted  with  specimens  by 
Miss  Warren,  Mr.  Praeger,  Rev.  A.  H.  Delap,  Mr.  Barrett- 
Hamilton,  Mr.  Ussher,  Mr.  Redding,  Professor  G.  V.  Hart, 
Mr.  H.  C.  Hart,  Miss  Sidney  Smith,  Mr.  F.  W.  Moore,  and 
Mr.  Garnett,  while  Mr.  H.  C.  Levinge  was  good  enough  to 
allow  me  to  collect  in  his  extensive  demesne. 

The  Roman  figures  under  the  heading  of  each  species  in- 
dicate the  districts  in  Ireland  in  which  specimens  have  been 
found.  The  districts,  which  are  those  adopted  by  Messrs. 
Moore  and  More  in  their  well-known  work  the  ''Cybele 
Hibernica,"  are  as  follows: — 

I.  Kerr^"  and  South  Cork. 

II.  North  Cork,  Waterford,  South  Tipperar5^ 

III.  Kilkenn}^  Carlow,  Queen's  County. 

IV.  Wexford  and  Wicklow. 

V.  Kildare,  Dublin,  ]\Ieath,  lyouth. 

VI.  Limerick,  Clare,  East  Galway. 

VII.  North  Tipperary,  King's  County,  Westmeath,  Long- 
ford. 

VIII.  West  Galway,  West  Mayo. 

IX.  East  Mayo,  Sligo,  Leitrim. 

X.  Fermanagh,  Cavan,  Monaghan,  Tyrone,  Armagh. 

XI.  Donegal  and  City  of  Londonderry. 

XII.  Down,  Antrim,  Derr}^ 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  more  important  works  and 
papers  containing  reference  to  the  Irish  molluscan  fauna, 
which  will  be  referred  to  in  the  text  by  their  numbers : — 


The  Irish  Land  and  Freshivater  Mollusca.  47 

1.  Ai^ivMAN,  G.  A.     "Description  of  a  new  Genus  of  Pulmonary  Gas- 

tropod,"— An7t.  and  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  xvii.  1846. 

2.  Ci^ARKK,  B.J.     "On  the  Species  oi  Limaxioun^  in  Ireland."— ^««. 

and  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  xii.  1843. 

3.  Conchologist,  ii.     (Notes  on  Irish  Mollusca). 

4.  GooDSiR,  John.     "An  Account  of  the  Anatomy  of  Li?nn<zus  involuttis, 

Harvey." — Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  v.  1840. 

5.  "Guide  to  the  County  Dublin,  its  Geology,   Industries,  Flora  and 

Fauna,"  1878. 

6.  HoGAN,  A.  R.     "Notes  on  the  Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca  of  the 

County  Dublin." — Nat.  Hist.  Review,  i.  1854. 

7.  Humphreys,  J.  D.     "Contribution  towards  a  Fauna  and  Flora  of  the 

County  Cork,  1845. 

8.  Jeffreys,  J.  G.     "British  Conchology,"  vol.  i.  1862. 

9.  Journal  of  Conchology,  i.  to  vi.  (contains  numerous  notes  and  records 

on  Irish  mollusca.) 

10.  Mii,NE,  J.  G.     "Contributions  towards  a  list  of  Irish  Mollusca." — 

Joiirn.  of  Conchology,  vi.  Jan.  1890. 

11.  MiivNE,  J.  G.     "Notes  on  the  Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca  of 

Achill  Island." — Journ.  of  Conchology,  vi.  Oct.  1891. 

12.  Reeve,  L.     "Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca  of  the  British  Isles," 

1863. 

13.  SCHARFF,  R.  F.     "The  Slugs  of  Ireland."— Tr^wj.  R.  Diib.  Soc.  (2)  iv. 

1891. 

14.  Tayi^or  and  Roebuck.     "Materials  towards  a  Land  and  Freshwater 

Molluscan  Fauna  of  Ireland." — Proceed.  R.  Irish  Acad.  (2)  iv.  1888. 

15.  Thompson,  W.     "Natural  History  of  Ireland,"  iv.  1856. 

16.  Wai,IvER.  p.     "On  the  Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca  of  Finnoe, 

County  Tipperary." — Nat.  Hist.  Review,  i.  1854. 

17.  Wii,i,iAMS,  J.  W.     "Land  and  FrCvSh water  Shells,"  (containing  a  chap- 

ter on  the  Distribution  of  the  British  forms  by  Taylor  and  Roe- 
buck), 1889. 

18.  Wright,  E.  P.     Catalogue  of  British  Mollusca  (Irish  species  marked), 

Nat.  Hist.  Revitiv,  ii.  1855. 

GASTROPODA. 

PULMONATA, 


Genus— VITBINA. 

Vitrina  pellucida,  Muller. 

—    II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

This  species  is  fairly  common  in  most  parts  of  the  mainland,  and  I 
recently  found  it  also  on  the  Aran  Islands,  Co.  Galway.  As  a  rule  only 
dead  shells  are  seen  during  summer,  and  it  should  be  looked  for  during 
the  winter  months,  when  it  is  most  active.  Some  of  the  specimens  I 
have  seen  resembled  Vitrina  Major,  Fer.,  which  occurs  in  the  south  of 
France. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Common  in  Great  Britain.  To  judge  from 
its  distribution,  it  must  be  one  of  our  oldest  living  land-shells,  for  it  has 
also  been  found  all  over  central  and  northern  Europe,  the  Caucasus  and 
Siberia,  and  very  closely  allied  species  live  in  North  America  and  Green- 
land. 

(TO  BE  continued). 


B 


4.8  The  Irish  Naturalist. 


CAREX  AQUATILIS,  WAHLB.  AND  ITS  BRITISH 

FORMS. 

BY  ARTHUR   BKNNKTT,    F.I,.S. 


Carex  aquatilis,  though  less  variable  than  C.  sali7ia,  yet  pre- 
sents many  forms  so  closel}^  related  to  each  other  as  to  be 
difficult  to  discriminate  with  anything  like  satisfaction.  In 
the  eleventh  edition  of  Hartman's  ''Handbook  of  the  Scan- 
dinavian Flora,"  Dr.  Almquist  gets  over  the  difficulty  by 
naming  only  one  form,  the  var.  epigeios  I^aestadius  (not  of 
Fries,  which  is  a  saliiia  form).  Anderssen,  in  his  "Cj^peracese 
Scandinavise  (1849),  p.  46,  has  five  varieties.  I^aestadius,  in 
his  "Bidrag  i  Tornea  Lappmark,"  describes  a  "C  arcuata,'' 
which  seems  to  be  a  sub-species  of  aquatilis^  and  may  be  the 
same  as  the  **C  aquatilis  var.  subacuta'^  of  the  '%oca  Parrel- 
lela"  (1839);  but  I  have  seen  no  specimens  of  either. 

Up  to  the  eighth  edition  of  Hooker  and  Arnott,  some  doubt 
seems  to  have  been  felt  as  to  our  plant  being  the  same  as 
Wahlenberg's,  though  Fries,  in  his  "Nov.  Flor.  Suec."  Mant. 
iii.  p.  146  (1842),  distinctly  says  "C  aquatilis.  Hook.  Brit.,  4, 
p.  336,  ex  Grev. ! "  I  have  specimens  gathered  by  Dr.  Greville, 
which  come  somewhat  between  the  extreme  var.  elatior  and 
the  var.  virescens  Ands. 

In  the  first  edition  of  his  "Manual"  (1843,  p.  341),  Babington 
has  a  var.  elatior,  "three  to  four  feet  high,  glumes  oblong, 
blunt,  shorter  than  the  fruit :  in  the  valley  near  the  bridge  at 
Clova."  In  the  second  edition  (1847)  this  disappears,  and 
Professor  Babington  wrote  me  that  he  then  considered  it  was 
not  entitled  to  rank  as  a  variety.  Dr.  Boswell  S3^me,  in  the 
third  edition  of  "English  Botany,"  vol.  x.  p.  113,  1870,  re- 
names the  same  plant  var.  Watsorii,  ignoring  the  former 
naming  of  Babington.  In  1850  Mr.  J.  Mcl^aren,  in  a  paper  read 
before  the  Botanical  Societj^  of  Edinburgh,  and  published  in 
the  Bota7iical  Gazette  for  1851  (p.  23),  makes  three  Scottish 
varieties,  but  gives  no  names  to  them.  His  var.  7  is  the  elatior 
of  Babington ;  his  a  seems  to  be  the  table-land  form  of  Forfar 
and  Aberdeen ;  his  /3  I  suspect  to  belong  to  C.  rigida,  and  to 
be  the  plant  mentioned  by  S5^me  from  the  I^ittle  Craigendahl 
and  lyochnagar,  and  Iwhich  is  closely  allied  to  C.  limula  Fr., 
and  C.  rigida  v.  inferalpi7ia,  I^aest. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Watson,  in  "Topographical  Botany,"  remarks  that 
Dr.  Boott  was  inclined  to  think  that  the  lowland  plant  offered 
more  differences  than  could  well  be  allowed  to  a  variety,  and 
Dr.  Boott  contrasted  it  with  the  North  American  C.  stricta, 
Lam.  (C  angustata,  Sm.).  Certainly  some  of  the  Scottish 
specimens  do  much  resemble  some  of  the  forms  of  the  North 
American  plant. 


Carex  aquatilis,  Wahlb.  and  its  Bfitish  Forms.  49 

So  lately  as  1870  the  species  had  only  been  found  in  four 
counties  of  Scotland :  we  now  have  it  from  twenty,  as  well  as 
from  Cheviot  and  Cardigan. 

It  certainly  was  a  surprise  when  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart  first  sent 
me  Irish  specimens  named  as  ''acuta  v,  gracilis.'"  I  at  once 
saw  that  they  belonged  to  aquatilis,  but  desiring  a  better 
opinion  than  my  own,  I  sent  them  to  Dr.  Almquist  of  Stock- 
holm, who  returned  them  marked  as  ''aqzcatilisWohiy  Still 
more  was  I  suprised  when  Mr.  Scully  sent  the  same  species 
from  Kerr}^  indeed,  I  have  tried  to  see  if  it  could  not  be 
separated  from  it. 

Why  C.  aqtiatilis  does  not  occur  in  Denmark,  and  along  the 
Baltic  Provinces  of  Germany,  is  to  me  a  puzzle.  It  seems 
quite  rare  in  Russia,  ''Ingria"  =  Ingermanland — the  pro- 
vince in  which  St.  Petersburgh  is  situated.  Cardigan  and 
Kerry  are  much  to  the  south  of  this,  as  well  as  the  station  of 
lyivonia,  on  the  Bay  of  Riga. 

At  present  I  wish  to  more  particularly  notice  the  Irish 
forms,  leaving  the  Scotch  ones  for  more  extended  notice  here- 
after. So  far  as  what  may  be  the  type-form,  all  our  plants 
seem  smaller  than  the  original  plant  of  Wahlenberg;  this 
being  so,  it  seems  rather  odd  to  have  a  var.  elatior,  but  this 
must  be  left  for  the  present.  So  far  as  Britain  is  concerned,  I 
have  seen  specimens  of  the  following: — 

C.  aquatilis  var.  cuspidata,  I^^st.  in  Vet.  Atcad.  Handl.  1822,  p.  339. 

Among  var.  elatior  on  the  Wick  river  in  Caithness;  in  this  the 
glumes  are  very  long,  and  cuspidate. 
C.  aquatilis  var.  elatior,  Bab.!  Man.  Brit.  Botany,  ed.  i,  1843,  P-  341- 
Var.  watsoni,  Syme!  Etig.  Botany,  vol.  x.,  p.  113,  1870. 

In  many  counties  of  Scotland,  though  careful  comparison   of 
some  is  yet  needed. 

In  Ireland  in  Antrim!  R.  lyloyd  Praeger.  Roscommon!  S.  A. 
Stewart. 

Mr.  Scully's  Kerry  specimens  are,  so  far  as  size  is  concerned, 
about  half-way  between  this  and  the  Clova  table-land  specimens; 
the  spikes,  however,  are  as  stout  as  in  this,  not  thin  and  inter- 
rupted at  the  base  as  in  the  Clova  plant. 
C.  aquatilis  var.  viresceiis,  Anderssen  in  CyperacecB  Scandinavia,  1849, 
p.  46. 

Perthshire !  Dr.  B.  White.  Characterised  by  its  very  short  (half 
the  length  of  the  fruit)  and  obtuse  glumes,  and  regularly-arranged 
spikes.  I  cannot  distinguish  from  this  {the  Scottish  specimens 
were  verified  by  Dr.  Almquist)  the  plant  gathered  by  Mr.  H.  C. 
Hart  at  Doochary  Bridge,  Count}'^  Donegal,  in  1886. 
C.  aquatilis  var.  epigeios,  Lcestadius,  1822.  Mid-Perth !  Dr.  B.  White. 
Dr.  Almquist  has  written  against  this  ")8  tpigcios  Lsest.  f  videtur." 

A  plant  in  habit  somewhat  like  this,  w^as  gathered  by  Mr.  R.  M, 
Barrington  at  Temple  Island,  Inner  Lough  Ree,  County  West- 
meath,  in  1885,  but  it  has  the  fruit  distinctly  ribbed  or  nerved.  It 
was  named  by  Dr.  I^ange  of  Copenhagen  '■'Carex  turfosa  Fries  f. 
elongata.''^ 

Among  ni}^  numerous  Scotch  specimens  are  some  which 
resemble  the  var.  yfaz'zVa;/^  Nylander,  "Spicel.  Fl.  Fennicae," 
but  I  have  seen  no  specimens  of  Nylander's  plant.     Besides 


50  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

these  forms,  Anderssen  has  a  var.  sphag7iophiIa,  Fries  from  sub- 
alpine  lyapland. 

Beyond  Europe  the  true  plant  is  rare.  I  have  it  from  Siberia, 
Canada,  and  United  States;  though  many  of  the  plants  so 
named  from  the  States  are  decidedly  wrongly  referred,  and  re- 
quire careful  and  extensive  comparison  and  study,  as  the  forms 
do  in  Britain. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  RATHI.IN  ISIvAND,  CO.  ANTRIM. 

BY  ROBKRT    PATTERSON,    M.B.O.U. 


The  nearest  point  of  Rathlin  is  about  three  miles  from  Fair 
Head,  but  the  distance  from  the  quay  at  Ballycastle  to  the 
landing-place  in  Church  bay,  is  seven  and  a-half  miles.  The 
island  is  five  and  a-half  English  miles  long  from  the  Bull,  or 
western  point,  to  Bruce's  Castle,  on  the  extreme  east,  and 
upwards  of  four  miles  from  Rue  Point,  the  most  southerly,  to 
Altacarry,  at  the  north-east  extremit}^  The  greatest  breadth 
at  any  part  is  one  and  a-quarter  miles,  and  the  narrowest 
half  a  mile,  while  the  highest  point  is  447  feet  above  sea 
level.  The  cliffs  on  the  northern  and  western  sides  are 
extremely  precipitous,  the  average  elevation  of  the  island 
being  about  200  feet.  Rathlin  has  an  area  of  3,200  acres,  only 
a  small  portion  of  which  is  under  cultivation,  the  rest  con- 
sisting of  undulating  rocky  heaths  with  frequent  marshes, 
and  four  lakes,  the  largest  (I^ough  Ushet)  covering  thirty 
English  acres.  For  much  of  the  following  information  I  am 
indebted  to  the  late  owners  of  the  island,  Robert  Gage,  Esq., 
and  Miss  Gage,  whose  recent  deaths  are  much  deplored 
by  Irish  naturalists.  M.y  own  notes,  taken  on  the  island, 
have  been  consulted,  and,  of  course,  Thompson's  "Birds  of 
Ireland."  Dr.  J.  D.  Marshall's  paper  on  the  statistics 
and  natural  history  of  the  island,  {^Proceedings  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  1836),  and  Mr.  A.  G.  More's  '%ist  of  Irish  Birds," 
have  been  referred  to.  I  have  also  taken  some  information 
from  the  "Reports  on  the  Migration  of  Birds"  (i 881- 1887), 
and  have  to  thank  Mr.  R.  J.  Ussher  for  drawing  my  attention 
to  an  article  in  \h^  Zoologist  iox  1867,  by  Mr.  Howard  Saunders, 
describing  a  visit  he  paid  to  the  island.  I  am  aware  that  Mr. 
Gage  published  a  list  of  the  birds  of  Rathlin  in  the  Procecdiiigs 
of  the  Dubliii  Natiiral  History  Society^  but  I  have  not  been 
able  to  refer  to  it. 

The  species  that  are  known  to  breed  in  Rathlin  are  marked 
with  an  asterisk  (*). 

*Turdus  viscivorus,  L. — Misti^k-tiirush.  Resident  all  the  year;  it 
breeds  regularly,  generally  in  the  bare  fork  of  a  tree. 

*Turdiis  musicus,  ly. — Song-Thrush.  Common ;  breeds  in  all  the 
gardens,  more  numerous  about  Church  bay  than  elsewhere. 


The  Birds  of  Rafhlin  Island,  Co.  Antrim.  51 

Turdus  iliacus,  Iv. — Redwing.     Frequent  in  winter. 
Turdus  pilaris,  Iv. — Fiei.df'are.     Not  so  common  as  last. 
*Turdus  merula,  L. — Bi^ackbird.     Common  in  the  gardens  aijd  hedges, 

where  it  breeds. 
Turdus  torquatus,  L. — Ring-ouzeIy-    The  only  specimen  ever  seen  was 

shot,  i8th  April,  1883,  by  one  of  the  light-keepers  (Migration  Report 

for  1883). 
*Saxicola  cenanthe,  Iv. — WheaT-ear.    Very  common  during  the  summer  , 

generally  breeds  in  crevices  of  rocks  and  walls;  earliest  date  of  arrival, 

March  8th.     I  found  it  extremely  abundant  in  June. 
*Pratincola  rubicola,  Iv. — StonechaT.     Frequently  seen  ;  nests  gener- 
ally among  the  whins. 
*Eritliacus  rubecula,  Iv. — Robin.    Dr.  Marshall  states  that  the  Robin  is 

rare,  while  Mr.  Gage  characterises  it  as  common  in  the  gardens  and 

low  bushy  places,  where  it  breeds.     In  1889  I  observed  several  young 

Robins,  but  did  not  see  a  single  adult  during  three  days. 
Sylvia  cinerea,  Bechst. — WhitethroaT.     A  regular  summer  visitant 

to  the  gardens,  but  the  nest  has  not  yet  been  found.     I  have  no 

doubt  it  breeds. 
Heg'ulus    cristatus,  Koch. — Goi<den-crested    Wren.      A    constant 

spring  visitor,  being  frequently  taken  at  the  lighthouse  on  migration ; 

it  never  remains  on  the  island. 
Phylloscopus  rufus,  Bechst. — Chiefchafe.    An  occasional  visitor  to 

the  gardens.  .    One  was  taken  on  an  apple  tree  in  March,  1862.     It 

has  never  been  known  to  breed. 
phylloscopus  trochilus,  L. — Wii,i,ow-\vren.     Rarely  seen ;    one  was 

caught  alive  near  the  lighthouse,  and  another  found  in  Mr.  Gage's 

garden  in  April,  1867. 
Acroceplialus  phragfmitis,  Bechst. — SedGE-warbi.ER.     This  was  the 

only  bird  I  was  able  to  add  to  Mr.  Gage's  list.     I  saw  and  heard  the 

bird  at  Alley   Ivough,  2nd  June,   1889.      In  October,  1891,  a  second 

example  was  killed  by  a  Kestrel,  and  brought  to  Miss  Gage. 
*Accentor  modularis,  Iv. — Hedge-sparrow.     Common  in  the  hedges 

and  whins  where  it  breeds.      An  albino  young  bird  was  once  found 

beside  the  nest. 
Farus  major,  Iv. — Great-Tit.     An  occasional  visitor.     One  was  taken 

in  January,   1862,  in  Mr.  Gage's  garden,  others  have  been  seen  at 

intervals. 
Farus   coeruleus,  Iv. — Bi,uE-TiT.      Occasionally  seen;   one  was   found 

dead  in  the  garden  in  1891. 
*Troglod3rfces   parvulus,  Koch. — Wren.     Very  common  and  resident, 

generally  builds  in  ivy.     Often  observed  on  migration. 
Certhia  familiaris,  L. — Tree-creepeR.    Once  seen  running  along  the 

garden  wall,  when  it  was  shot.   There  are  scarcely  any  trees  on  Rathlin. 
♦Motaciila  lugubris,  Temm. — Pied  Wagtaii,.     Common  all  the  year, 

bleeds  generally  in  holes  in  banks. 
Motacilla  melanope,  Pallas. — Grey  Wagtaii,.     Uncommon ;  one  was 

caught  alive  in  the  summer  of  1858,  having  flown  into  one  of  the 

rooms  through  an  open  window.     I  have  reason  to  think  they  breed, 

as  I  found  a  pair  at  Alley  Lough,  in  June  1889,  whose  movements  were 

suspicious,  but  I  failed  to  find  the  nest. 
*Aiitlius  pratensis,  Iv. — Meadow-pipiT.     Not  uncommon;  some  nests 

with  eggs  have  been  found  on  some  of  the  heath-covered  hills,  chiefly 

in  the  centre  of  the  island.     Several  birds  were  found  dead  in  the 

hard  frost  of  January,  1867. 
*Aiitlius  obscurus,  Latham.— Rock-pipiT.     Common  along  the  shore. 

Nests  have  been  found  in  the  heaps  of  dried  seaweed   stacked  for 

making  kelp. 
*Muscicapa   ^risola,  L.— Spotted   Fi^ycaTChER.      Is  usually  seen  in 

summer,  but  the  nest  was  never  found  till  June,  1890,  when  a  pair 

had  a  nest  in  a  rose-tree  against  the  wall  of  a  greenhouse.     The  hen 

was  very  fearless. 


52  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

*Hirundo    rustica,   Iv. — SwaIvI<OW.     Common    in    summer;    builds    in 
outhouses  and  sheds.     I  observed  it  only  about  Mr.  Gage's  house  and 
over  the  lakes.     Has  been  seen  on  the  i8th  April  (Migration  Report, 
1885). 
*Clielidon    urbica,   L. — House-marTin.      Very   common    in    silmmer, 
more  numerous  than  the  last;  builds  in  the  White  Rocks  at  the  north 
side  of  Church  bay,  in  company  with  the  Swift. 
:*Ligtirmiis  cMoris,  L. — Greenfinch.     Numerous  in  winter;  a  nest 
was  found  for  the  first  time  in  May,  1885. 
Carduelis   elegans,   Stephens. — Goi^dfinch.     A  winter  visitor.     For- 
merly, when  brambles  and  wild   roses  were    more  plentiful,   they 
bred  regularl3^ 
*Passer  domesticus,  Iv. — House-Sparrow.     Common  at  all  the  farm- 
houses.    I  noticed  that  all  I  saw  were  distinctly  lighter  in  colour  and 
appeared  also  smaller  than  those  on  the  mainland. 
Pringilla  coelebs,  L. — Chaffinch.     A  few  have  been  occasionally  seen 
in  the  garden,  but  they  have  not  been  known  to  breed  ;  chiefly  seen 
in  winter.     I  did  not  observe  any  in  the  month  of  June. 
*Acant]iis  cannabina,  L. — I^innet.     Common  in  summer  and  winter ; 
it  breeds  in  low  bushes  and  whins.      Frequently  observed  by  the 
light-keepers  on  migration. 

[Mr.  Howard  Saunders,  in  the  article  referred  to,  mentions  the 
Lesser  Redpoll,  Acazithis  rufescens,  Vieillot,  as  breeding  on  the 
island,  but  Mr.  Gage  states  it  is  quite  unknown.] 

^Acanthis  flavirostris,  L. — Twite.  Fairly  common  all  over  the  island, 
breeding  in  the  higher  ground.  Mr.  Howard  Saunders  found  the  nest 
on  the  ledge  of  a  high  cliff. 

*Emberiza  miliaria,  L/. — Corn-bunting.  Common  and  permanently 
resident;  breeds  in  suitable  localities. 

*Emberiza  citrinella,  L. — Yeeeow-bunting.  More  numerous  than  the 
last,  and  resident.     Nests  frequently  found. 

*Einberi2a  schceniclus,  Iv. — Reed-bunting.  Common  in  the  bogs 
throughout  the  island,  where  it  breeds. 
Plectrophenax  nivalis,  Iv. — Snow-bunting.  A  regular  winter  visitant, 
sometimes  in  large  flocks.  Frequently  seen  on  migration,  as  the 
following  notes  from  the  Reports  will  show^: — "May  i6th,  shot  a  bird 
very  like  a  Snow-bunting.  October  14th,  thirty.  Some  seen  also  on 
15th,  17th,  and  iSth  (October,  1883).  October  i6th,  ten  at  noon,  re- 
main (1884).     March  loth,  one  seen.     September  6th,  five  going  S." 

*Sturnus  vulgaris,  Iv. — Starring.  Very  common ;  it  breeds  in  clefts 
of  rocks,  chiefly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Church  bay.  Large  flocks 
frequentl}'  observed  on  migration. 

*Pyrrhocorax  gi:aculus,  L- — Chough.  Very  common  all  over  the  island, 
they  breed  in  the  cliffs,  chiefly  at  the  White  Rocks.  Called  "Jack- 
daw" by  the  natives. 

*Pica  rustica,  Scop. — Magpie.  Not  so  frequently  seen  as  formerly. 
They  used  to  build  in  a  clump  of  trees  near  Mr.  Gage's  house,  but  on 
some  sportsmen  shooting  into  the  nests,  they  took  to  the  rocks,  where 
a  few  pairs  still  breed. 
Corvus  monedula,  L. — Jackdaw.  Rarely  seen;  occasionally  comes 
from  mainland. 

*Corvus  corax,  L. — Raven.  One  or  two  pairs  breed  in  the  most  inac- 
cessible cliffs  on  the  north  side  of  the  island ;  formerly  they  were  much 
more  numerous,  and  were  very  destructive  to  young  lambs,  etc.  One 
bird  was  seen  to  pick  the  e3'es  out  of  a  ewe  just  after  lambing,  and  was 
shot  b}'  the  shepherd.  The  latter — a  very  observant  man— states  that 
every  year,  as  soon  as  the  young  birds  were  able  to  fly  and  procure 
their  own  food,  the  old  birds  regularly  drove  them  away  from  the 
place.  Both  old  and  young  birds  would  disappear  from  the  island  for 
four  or  five  days,  and  then  the  old  birds  would  return  alone.  In  Maj', 
1867,  a  singular  fight  between  Peregrines  and  Ravens  occurred.  Both 
birds  had  nests  at  no  great  distance  from  each  other,  on  a  very  in- 


The  Birds  of  Rathlhi  Island,  Co.  Antrim.  53 

accessible  cliff.  The  Peregrine's  eggs  were  wanted  by  a  collector, 
and  some  boys,  watching  the  birds  away  from  the  nest,  went  down  on 
a  rope,  and  took  the  eggs.  The  birds  on  their  return,  finding  their 
nests  empty,  attacked  the  Ravens,  killed  the  hen,  and  demolished  the 
nest.  The  cock  Raven  fought  fiercel}^,  but  was  at  last  overcome  by 
the  Peregrines,  who  forsook  that  particular  locality,  and  never  re- 
turned. Up  to  this  time  both  families  had  lived  in  apparent  friend- 
ship, not  interfering  with  each  other,  but  it  was  evident  the  Ravens 
were  blamed  for  the  theft.  The  fight  was  witnessed  from  the  top  of 
the  cliffs  by  many  who  were  attracted  by  the  cries  of  the  birds,  and 
they  described  it  as  being  most  bloody  and  determined. 
*Corvus  cornix,  Iv. — Hooded  Crow.  Very  common;  frequents  the 
beach  of  Church  bay  and  elsewhere.  Breeds  in  the  cliffs. 
Corvus  frugilegus,  L. — Rook.  Young  and  old  birds  sometimes  seen 
in  autumn  and  winter.     Observed  by  light-keepers  on  migration. 

(TO  BE  CONTINUED.) 


COUNTY   DUBININ,    PAST   AND    PRESENT. 

BY   PROF.    GRE)NVII.I.E:   A.   J.    COI,K,    F.G.S. 


{Continued  from  page  36.) 

III. — Thk  Granite  Chain. 

Thk  remarkable  volcanic  activity  at  the  close  of  the  Ordovician 
period  was  the  herald,  in  Ireland,  of  great  changes  in  the 
relations  of  sea  and  land.  The  shocks  of  earthquake  and  the 
fierce  explosions  from  volcanic  isles  were  in  reality  minor 
matters  compared  to  the  slow  uplifting  of  the  sea-floor,  the 
bending  and  contortion  of  the  Ordovician  shales  and  lime- 
stones (fig.  4,  p.  32),  and  the  formation  of.  the  great  chain 
of  hills  which  even  to-day  forms  the  S.E.  frontier  of  the 
country.  We  are  only  slowly  beginning  to  understand  the 
causes  of  these  wide  earth-movements ;  sufiice  it  that,  after 
the  conversion  of  a  great  part  of  the  area  of  the  British  Isles 
into  dry  land,  and  the  consequent  excavation  of  its  surface  by 
rain  and  rivers,  the  sea  was  again  allowed  to  flow  in  over 
England,  Wales,  and  western  Ireland,  depositing  strata  known 
as  the  Silurian  system.  But  in  Co.  Dublin  the  elevation 
seems  to  have  been  more  permanent ;  along  an  axis  stretching 
far  into  the  south,  the  strata  formed  a  sort  of  arch,  their 
upheaval  allowing  of  molten  rock  to  ooze  up  from  lower 
levels  of  the  earth's  crust,  following,  inch  b}^  inch,  the  upthrust 
of  the  beds,  and  finally  consolidating  beneath  them  as  a  dense 
and  crystalline  mass. 

How  far  this  once  molten  rock  extends  beneath  the  present 
surface  it  is  quite  impossible  to  say;  but  denudation  has 
already  reached  down  to  it  through  its  former  Ordovician 
covering  at  such  outlying  points  as  Rockabill '  on  the  north 

'  First  noted  by  Mr.  C.  W.  Hamilton  in  1840,  see  G.  S.  D.  ii.,  138. 


54  TIu  Irish  Naturalist. 

and  Carnsore  Point  on  the  south;  while  it  is  exposed  con- 
tinuously over  the  granite  highlands  which  rise  from  the  sea 
at  Killine}^  and  stretch  for  70  miles  into  the  counties  of 
Wexford  and  Kilkenny. 

At  Killiney  the  true  character  of  this  granite  is  excellently 
shown.  On  the  shore  below  the  steep  face  of  Victoria  Park  the 
pale  crj'stalline  rock  may  be  seen  intruded  in  dykes  and  veins 
into  the  upturned  and  crumpled  Ordovician  shales.  The 
junction  is  thus  quite  irregular;  the  hot  rock  has  oozed  into 
the  sediments  and  has  baked  them,  developing  new  minerals 
at  the  contact.  Stellar  groups  of  dark  Andalusite  have  thus 
arisen  by  the  driving  off  of  the  water  from  the  substance  of 
the  clays  and  the  cry^stallisation  of  the  silicate  of  alumina ; 
silver>'  mica  covers  all  the  planes  of  separation  of  the  rock, 
but  weathers  away  more  rapidly  than  the  andalusite,  the  latter 
standing  out  upon  the  surfaces  in  knots  and  bars.  These 
products  of  contact  metamorphism  run  through  the  mass  in 
bands,  which  probably  represent  original  layers  of  stratifi- 
cation ;  while  some  beds,  on  the  other  hand,  seem  but  little 
altered.  The  granite  itself  has  again  and  again  a  banded 
streaky  structure,  indicative  of  viscid  flow  along  its  junction 
with  the  older  rock ;  as  it  began  to  consolidate,  shrinkage- 
cracks,  and  joints  due  to  "settlement"  of  its  foundations, 
opened  through  it,  and  portions  of  the  still  fluid  material  from 
below  were  forced  up  into  these  spaces,  forming  a  network  of 
parallel-sided  veins.  Examination  of  the  exposures  about 
Kingstown  and  Killiney  will  show  how  some  of  these  veins 
have  been  themselves  cracked  through,  and  often  shifted  on 
one  side  or  other  of  the  joint,  still  later  material  having  finally 
recemented  the  mass.  Some  of  the  granite  forming  these 
subsequent  veins  is  more  coarse  in  grain  than  the  surrounding 
granite ;  in  others  it  is  so  finely  grained  that  it  is  difficult  to 
distinguish  the  constituent  minerals,  the  rock  being  then 
properly  called  a  Eurite.  But  in  all  these  tj^pes  of  granite  the 
fundamental  minerals  are  the  same,  whether  we  investigate 
our  samples  w4th  the  unaided  eye  or  with  the  microscope. 
Quartz,  glassy  and  unscratched  by  the  knife ;  Orthoclase 
felspar,'  pale  pink-brown,  yellow-brown,  or  white,  w4th  sur- 
faces of  regular  cleavage ;  and  the  micas,  easily  scratched, 
flaky,  shining  like  silver,  or  deep  brown-black  when  richer  in 
magnesia  and  iron" — these  are  the  essentials,  though  their 
proportions  may  vary  from  point  to  point.  The  old  term 
granite  is  restricted  to  crj^stalline  rocks,  once  molten,  rich  in 
silica  and   alkalies ;    the   excess   of  silica   is   shown   by   the 

1  Chemical  proof  of  the  prevalence  of  this  potash-felspar  in  the  Dublin 
granite  was  first  given  by  Apjolin,  Ptoc.  R.  Irish  Acad.,  v.  (1853),  p.  381  ; 
Galbraith  followed  with  numerous  analyses,  ibid.,  vi.,  134. 

^Haughton,  Proc.  R.  Irish  Acad.,  vi.,  176,  and  Quart.  Joiirn.  Gcol.  Soc, 
Laiidotj,  -KX.,  129. 


County  Dublin,  Past  and  Present. 


55 


abundance  of  quartz  which,  when  the  rock  decays  away,  goes 
to  form  sand  in  the  river- valleys  and  on  the  shore. 

Other  minerals  are  known  in  the  granite  of  the  Dublin 
Mountains/  and  a  second  species  of  felspar  is  practically 
always  present,  ranging  from  Albite,^  as  highly  silicated  as 
orthoclase,  but  with  soda  in  place  of  potash,  to  Oligoclase,^  the 
soda-lime  felspar.  For  references  to  many  previous  papers  and 
for  an  admirable  series  of  investigations  into  the  characters 
of  the  Dublin  granite,  the  reader  must  turn  to  the  memoir  by 
Prof.  Sollas  just  cited,  which  is  at  present  the  text-book  of 
the  subject.  We  must  content  ourselves  with  quoting  Dr. 
Haughton's'^  average  analysis  of  (a)  eleven  specimens  taken  at 
intervals  along  the  lycinster  chain,  and  his  deduction  (b)  as  to 
the  mean  mineral  constitution  of  the  rock,  in  parts  by  weight. 


72*07 

14-81 

2-25 

1-63 

0-33 

5-II 

279 

1*09 

loo'oS 

B 


Quartz 

32-57 

Orthoclase 

I5'44 

Albite    . . 

22'IO 

Margarodite  [White  Mica^ 

19-16 

Lepidomelane  [Dark  Mica^ 

5-8i 

Paste  (SiHcate  of  Ivime) 

4-92 

loo-oo 

Silica 

Alumina 

Iron  peroxide 

Lime 

Magnesia 

Potash 

Soda 

Loss  by  ignition 


The  orthoclase,  as  the  lightest  mineral  in  the  rock,  naturally 
plays  a  much  greater  part  in  the  total  volume  than  the  15  J  per 
cent,  assigned  to  it  in  the  above  mode  of  calculation.  If  the 
lime  of  the  so  called  **  paste  "  were  present  as  a  constituent  of 
oligoclase  felspar,  a  slight  readjustment  of  the  figures  would 
be  necessary. 

The  chemical  constituents  of  these  minerals  were  clearly 
once  fused  together ;  on  the  cooling  of  the  intrusive  mass,  the 
micas  separated  out  first,  then  the  felspars,  and  finally  the 
residual  silica,  as  quartz.  But  experiment  shows  that  this 
complete  and  often  coarse  crystallisation  is  only  possible 
under  pressure  of  overlying  rocks  and  very  slow  conditions  of 
cooling.  When  the  materials  of  a  granite  are  erupted  at  the 
surface  as  a  molten  lava,  they  cool  as  a  black  glass.  Obsidian, 
with  bands  and  patches  of  imperfectly  developed  cr>^stals ;  such 
products  are  well  known  in  lyipari  and  in  Iceland.  But  in  Co. 
Dublin  the  molten  rock  appears  nowhere  to  have  reached  the 

HVeaver,  Trans.  Geol.  Soc.  London,  v.  (1819),  135;  Galbraith  "On 
Killinite,"  G.  S.  D.,  vi.,  165;  Haughton  "The  Mineralogy  of  the 
Counties  of  Dublin  and  Wicklow,"  G.  S.  /.,  v.,  43  ;  O'Reilly,  "On  Micro- 
cline  Feldspar  in  the  Dalkey  Granites,"  77>id.,  v.,  189;  O'Reilly,  "  On  Beryl 
in  Glencullen,"  tdid,  vii.,  69;  Joly,  "Beryl  and  lolite  of  Glencullen," 
Froc.  R.  Dublin  Soc.  (new  series,)  v.,  48. 

2  Haughton,  "Albite  in  the  Granite  of  Dalkey,"  G.  S.  I.,  ii.,  213. 

3  Sollas,  "Contributions  to  a  knowledge  of  the  Granite  of  Leinster," 
Trans.  R.  Irish  Acad.,  xxix.  (1891),  452. 

G.  S.  /.,  V.  (1878),  pp.  41  and  43. 


56 


The  Irish  Natuj'alist. 


surface;  it  cooled  down  through,  not  daj^s  or  months,  but 
centuries;  and  the  crest  of  the  long  Leinster  ridge  was  no 
doubt  originally  formed  of  upheaved  Ordovicians,  giving  a 
wilder  and  more  broken  aspect  to  the  mountains  than  they 
wear  at  present.  The  last  phases  of  earth-movement  and 
"igneous"  action  are  to  be  seen  in  the  veins  of  pure  quartz 
which  occasionally  cut  the  granite;  these  no  doubt  represent 
the  courses  of  hot  waters  containing  silica  in  solution,  as  in 
modern  geysers,  which  circulated,  decomposing  some  minerals 
and  constructing  others,  during  the  final  consolidation  of  the 
chain. 

The  broad  tabular  joints  of  granite,  and  still  more  its 
uniform  powdery  mode  of  disintegration,  give  us  to-day  the 
familiar  long  sweeping  outlines  of  the  Dublin  hills.  Occa- 
sionally, as  on  Three  Rock  Mountain,  more  resisting  blocks 
protrude  above  the  general  surface  of  decay,  like  the  **  tors" 
of  Devonshire  ;  and  the  slopes  are  strewn  with  masses  broken 

Fig.  6. 


Granite  in  the  Dingle,  near  Carrickmlnes,  showing  how  the  rock  be- 
comes broken  up  into  loose  blocks  ])y  the  widening  of  its  joints.  The 
face  exposed,  30  ft.  high,  is  formed  by  one  of  a  series  of  joints  parallel  to 
the  trend  of  the  valley.  (From  a  photograph  by  Prof.  Haddon  and 
Mr.  J.  McNab.) 


County  Dublm,  Past  and  Present.  57 

from  them  or  from  others  which  have  long  since  disappeared, 
by  the  action  of  frost  or  the  slow  widening  of  their  joints 
(see  fig.  6).  The  ridge  from  the  head  of  Glencullen  to  Two 
Rock  Mountain  gives  admirable  lessons  in  the  mode  of  wea- 
thering of  the  rock,  the  decomposition  of  the  felspar  setting 
free  the  quartz  and  mica,  and  a  sort  of  sand  thus  spreading 
around  each  boulder  into  the  black  vegetable  soil. 

The  contrast  of  outline  between  the  granite  background  and 
the  sedimentary  masses  of  the  Sugarloaves,  or  the  easily 
denuded  Carboniferous  on  which  Dublin  city  stands,  is  well 
known  to  all  who  have  crossed  from  Holyhead/  But  to  those 
who  explore  the  glens  and  passes,  traversed  now  by  some  of 
the  highest  roadways  of  the  British  Isles,  the  characteristic 
features  of  the  granite  will  reveal  themselves  at  all  points, 
and  with  a  breadth  and  a  variety  that  custom  never  stales. 


THE  COI.EOPTKRA  OF  THE  ARMAGH  DISTRICT. 

BY   R:e;v.    W.    F.   JOHNSON,    M.A.,    F.E^.S. 


{^Continued from  page  38.) 


STAPHYI^INID^. 

Homalota  trinotata,  Kr. — dowry's  Lough,  in  moss,  I  also  took  a  spe- 
cimen on  the  top  of  the  tower  of  the  Cathedral. 

H.  nigricornis,  Thoms. — Mullinure  — rare. 

H.  corvina,  Thoms. — Mullinure — rare. 

H.  atomaria,  Kr. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 

H.  sericea,  Muls. — Dean's  Hill— not  common. 

H.  atricolor,  Sharp. — Palace  Demesne,  Drummanbeg  Lake,  Mullinure. 

H.  nigra,  Kr. — Mullinure — not  common. 

H.  atramentaria,  Gyll.— Mullinure — not  common. 

H,  sordida,  Marsh. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure — not  common. 

H.  aterriraa,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  pygmaea,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — rare. 

H.  muscoruni,  Bris. — Mullinure— rare. 

H.  laticollis,  Steph. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 

H.  fungi,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 

H.  clieutula,  Er. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 

Tachyusa  umbratica,  Er.— Lowry's  Lough,  Drumbee,  Mullinure— pretty 
common. 

T.  atra,  Grav. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. _ 

Falagria  obscura,  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 

Autalia  rivularis,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss. 

Eucephalns  conxplicans,  Westw.— Palace  Demesne,  Mullinure,  Little 
Castledillon,  in  moss  and  in  nest  of  Alyrmka. 

Gyrophsena  Isevipennis,  Kr.  Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — not  common. 

Myllaena  dubia,  Grav.— Loughnashade,  Grange,  in  moss— not  common. 

M.  intermedia,  Er.  — Lowry's  Lough,  Drummanmore,  in  moss— not 
common. 

M.  minuta,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 


'  See  also  Weaver's  drawings.  Trans.  GeoL  Soc.  London,  ist  ser.,  v.,  pi.  8. 


58  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Myilsena  brevicornis,  Matth.— Mullinure,  in  moss— scarce. 
Hypocyptus  ovulum,  Heer. — Common  in  moss. 
Conosoma  pubescens,  Grav.— Folh',  in  moss— rare. 
C.  lividum,  Er. — Common  throughout  district. 
Tacliyporus  obtusus,  I^.— MulHnure,  Folly,  in  moss. 

var.  nitidicollis,  Steph. — common  in  moss. 
T.  solutus,  Br. — Mullinure,  Little  Castledillon,  in  moss — not  common. 
T.  chrysomelinus,  L.  ) 

T.  humerosus,  Br  |      Common  throughout  district. 

T.  hypnorum,  F.  ) 

T.  pusillus,  Grav. — Dean's  Hill,  Mullinure,  in  moss— not  common. 
T.  brunneus,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  etc., — common. 
T.  transversalis,  Grav. — Mullinure,  Little  Castledillon,   in   moss— not 

common. 
TacMnus  rufipes,  L.— Common  throughout  district. 
T.  subterrasieus,  L. — Tyross,  in  Cathedral  Grammar  School  playground ; 

flew  to  light  in  my  kitchen. 
T.  marginellus,  F.         )      ^a 
T.  laticoUis,  Grav.  }      Common  in  moss. 

Megacronus  ciiigfulatus,  Mann. — Mullinure,  Drummanmore,  in  moss- 
not  plentiful. 
M.  analis,  Payk. — Mullinure,  Killooney,  banks  of  Butterwater,  in  moss — 

not  common. 
Bolitobius  lunulatus,  L.         \ 

B.  trinotatus,  Br.  »      AH  occur  freely  in  moss  and  fungi,  the 

B.  exoletus,  Br.  (  last  being  the  least  abundant. 

B.  pygmseus,  F.  / 

Mycetoporus  lucidus,  Br.— Mullinure,  in  moss— rare.i 
M.  lonffulus,  Mann.       \     ^  ,    ^        ,  r  -  ^ 

M.  splendidus,  Grav.     )     I^owry's  Lough,  etc.,  m  moss— fairly  common. 

Quedius  mesomelinus,  Marsh.— Cathedral  Grammar  School  play- 
ground— not  common. 

Q.  fulgidus,  F.— Palace  stables— in  my  garden— rare. 

Q.  cinctus,  Payk.— Dean's  Hill,  Palace  Demesne— not  common. 

Q.  fuliginosus,  Grav.         \ 

Q.  tristis,  Grav.  [      Common  throughout  district. 

Q.  molocliinus,  Grav.         ) 

Q.  fumatus,  Steph. — Mullinure,  in  moss— one  specimen. 

Q.  auricomus,  Kies.— Palace  Demesne,  in  moss— rare. 

Q.  rufipes,  Grav. — Drummanmore  Lake,  Mullinure,  in  moss — pretty 
common. 

Q.  attenuatus,  Gyll. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 

Q.  semiseneus,  Steph.— Common  throughout  district. 

rSiTopt/r^s^r  ^'  °^  ""■  \    Co-nmon  throughout  district. 
S.  csesarius,  Ceder. — Lowry's  Lough,  under  stones,  common  on  edge  of 
lake. 

0%5preurRossi!^^'  }  Common  throughout  district. 

O.  ater,  Grav. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  one  specimen. 

PMlonthus   splendens,   F. — Dean's  Hill,   Bdenmore,   in   carrion,   etc., 

pretty  common. 
P.  intermedius,  Boisd. — Palace  Demesne,  not  common. 
P.  laminatus,  Creutz. — Mullinure,  Palace  Demesne,  etc.,  common. 
P.  succicola,  Thonis. — One  specimen  near  the  Cathedral. 
P.  politus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 
P.  varius,  Gyll. — Rookford,  Mullinure,  not  common. 
P.  marginatus,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

P.  umbratilis,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough  under  stones,  Drummanbeg  Lake. 
P.  cephalotes,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  Drummanmore  Lake, 

pretty  common. 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Arjnagh  District.  59 

P.  fimetarius,  Grav. — I^owry's  Ivough,  Palace  Demesne — not  common. 
P.  sangfuinolentus,  Grav. — Mullinure,  not  common. 
P.  varians,  Payk. — Common  throughout  district. 
P.  ventralis,  Grav. — Beech  Hill,  Mullinure,  not  common. 
P.  discoideus,  Grav. — In  a  hotbed  in  garden  of  H.  M.  Prison,  Armagh. 
P.  quisquiliarius,  Gyll. — I^owry's  Lough,  Loughnashade,  Mullinure. 
var.  dimidiatiis,  Steph. — Lowry's  Lough,  under  stones  on  edge  of 
lake,  not  common. 
P.  nigrita,  Nord. — dowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  common. 
P.  micans,  Grav. — Mullinure,  Drummanbeg  Lake,  not  common. 
P.  trossulus,  Nord. — Common  throughout  district. 
P.  puella,  Nord. — Palace  Demesne,  Folly,  not  common. 

(TO  BEJ  CONTINUED.) 


REVIEW 


Harrow  Birds.     By  G.  K.  H.  Barrbtt-HamiIvTon.     Harrow:  sold  by 
J.  C.  Willbee,  for  the  Harrow  School  Scientific  Society. 

In  a  convenient  and  well-printed  little  book  of  fifty  pages,  our  youthful 
author  has  given  a  most  interesting  list  of  a  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
Birds  which  have  been  ascertained  to  occur  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Harrow  School.  Of  these,  to  quote  from  the  Preface,  "Fifty- five  are 
partially  or  wholly  resident,  twenty-seven  are  regular  summer  visitors, 
about  twenty-two  appear  annually  on  migration,  or  in  winter,  and  the 
remaining  ninety-four  are  visitors  of  rare  or  accidental  occurrence.  The 
species  which  breed  regularly  number  eighty- two." 

To  an  Irish  ornithologist,  the  most  interesting  species  will  be  those 
which  do  not  occur  at  all  in  Ireland.  Such  are  the  Dartford  Warbler, 
Nuthatch,  Tree  Pipit,  andCirl-bunting,  all  of  which  are  indicated  as  b  feeding 
in  the  small  district  contained  within  a  radius  of  five  miles  round  Har- 
row. The  Whinchat,  Redstart,  Garden  Warbler,  Woodwren,  Nightin- 
gale, Lesser  Whitethroat,  Reed-warbler,  Marsh  Titmouse,  Red-backed 
Shrike,  Hawfinch,  Carrion  Crow  ,Woodlark,  Wryneck,  three  Wood- 
peckers, Stock  Dove  and  Turtle  Dove,  all  very .  rare  in  Ireland,  are 
given  as  breeding,  most  of  them  regularly,  in  the  vicinity  of  Harrow. 
And  if,  as  long  ago  suggested  by  Swainson,  we  accept  the  small  warblers 
as  the  birds  most  characteristic  of  a  fauna,  there  are  here  enough  to  show 
how  widely  even  so  small  a  district  as  Harrow  differs  from  any  similar 
locality  that  might  be  selected  in  any  part  of  Ireland.  The  County  of 
Middlesex  is  very  favourably  situated,  both  on  account  of  its  proximity 
to  the  European  Continent,  and  being  in  the  south-east  of  England,  it 
no  doubt  receives  a  larger  number  of  the  summer  migrants.  The  fauna  of 
Middlesex  is  a  rich  one,  even  for  England,  and  it  has  been  thoroughly  ex- 
plored by  many  competent  observ^ers,  among  whom  we  are  glad  to  include 
Mr.  Barrett-Hamilton,  who,  in  this  little  book,  has  shown  himself  to  be 
also  an  excellent  compiler.  Relying  chiefly  on  Mr.  Hartiug's  well-known 
work,  the  "Birds  of  Middlesex,"  our  author  has  added  many  useful  ob- 
servations of  his  own,  and  he  has  been  fortunate  in  finding  several  cor- 
respondents as  much  interested  in  ornithology  as  himself.  He  has  thus 
been  enabled  to  draw  up  what  might  be  called  quite  a  model  list,  well 
arranged,  well  digested,  and  most  admirably  printed.  The  breeding 
Birds  are  distinguished  by  an  asterisk,  which  enables  the  reader  at  once 
to  pick  out  the  species  most  important  in  the  fauna,  and  we  have  no 
doubt  that  this  little  book,  besides  being  very  useful  to  the  members  of 
Harrow  School,  will  be  perused  with  interest  by  many  more  general 
readers,  especially  by  those  who  are  elsewhere  engaged  in  drawing  up 
local  catalogues,  and  we  hope  that  some  of  the  other  large  public  schools 
will  follow  the  example  which  has  been  so  well  set  by  Harrow. 

A.  G.  M. 


6o  The  Irish  Naturalist. 


NOTES. 


BOTANY. 


FUNGI. 

Fungi  from  CenTrai,  IreI/AND.  On  a  recent  excursion  (April  23) 
to  Knockdrin  Castle,  Co.  Westmeatli,  the  grounds  of  which  were  entered 
by  kind  permission  of  H.  C.  Levinge,  Esq.,  I  found  the  following  species, 
as  well  as  many  others  not  yet  named  : — CEddhcm  primula,  D.C. ;  Peri- 
dertniictn  pini,  Chev.,  now  known  to  be  a  stage  of  Coleospormm  senecionis, 
Pers. — the  spermogonia  were  not  seen;  Puccinia  graveolens,  Pers.,  uredo 
stage  on  Carduus  arvcnsis;  P.  pimpindlcc,  Strauss,  uredospores  on  P.  saxi- 
fraga;  Trichia  seroiina,  Schrad  ;  T.  chrysospenna,  D.C,  with  Stilbiim  tomcn- 
tosum,  parasitic  on  the  fructifications;  two  species  of  Nedria;  Peziza  nivea, 
Fr. ;  several  species  of  Diatrype  and  Sphccria;  and  Dactylmm  rosmm,  Berk, 
the  spores  of  which  differ  from  those  of  Berkeley's  plant  in  being  tri- 
septate ;  it  causes  a  wide-spread  bright  pink  discolouration  of  the  wood. 
No  agaric  was  found. 

A  sample  of  water  from  a  ditch  near  the  canal,  besides  containing 
numerous  specimens  of  Daphnia,  Cydops,  and  red  water-mites,  contained 
six  species  of  Schizomycetes,  which  were  isolated  by  Koch's  method. 
One  of  them  proved  to  be  Bacillus  fluorcscens-liqucfadens.  The  others  re- 
quire further  study  before  it  can  be  ascertained  if  they  have  been  pre- 
viously described. — B.  J.  M'Weeney,  Dublin. 


LIVER  WORTS . 

Diplophyllum  obtusifolhim  (Hook),  in  Co.  Dubinin.  In  the  spring 
of  1890,  when  collecting  cryptogams  wnth  the  Dublin  Naturalists'  Field 
Club,  on  one  of  their  excursions,  I  found  a  small  patch  of  this  rare  liver- 
wort growing  on  a  moist  clay  bank  in  Glendhu,  Co.  Dublin.  The  only 
localities  known  for  it  in  Ireland  were  near  Bantry,  Co.  Cork,  Miss 
Hutchins  (1812) ;  Dunscombe's  Wood,  in  the  same  county,  W.  Wilson, 
Esq.  (1829),  and  near  Dunkerron,   Dr.  Taylor. 

Dr.  D.  Moore,  in  describing  the  plant  in  his  work  on  the  Irish  Hepa- 
ticse,  Proc.  R.  I.  A,  (2)  ii.  Science,  writes  : — "Very  rare  in  Ireland.  The 
localities  quoted  are  the  only  places  where  it  has  hitherto  been  observed." 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  it  should  now  appear  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Ireland,  after  such  a  long  interval.  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has  been  found 
by  any  other  person  since  the  dates  above  quoted.  Another  species,  D. 
albicans,  small  forms  of  which  might  possibly  be  mistaken  for  it,  is  one  of 
the  commonest  of  all  the  liverworts,  but  it  is  also  a  most  interesting 
plant.  D.  obtiisifolitim  differs  from  it  in  its  smaller  size,  and  above  all,  in 
wanting  the  pellucid  central  nerve-like  markings  in  the  leaves,  which 
character  is  not  possessed  by  any  other  foliose  liverwort.  It  is  figured 
in  Sir  W.  J.  Hooker's  "  British  Jungermannia,"  table  26;  also  in  "  English 
Botany,"  table  251,  under  the  name  oi  Jungermannia  obtusifolia.  Mr.  M.  B. 
Slater,  an  excellent  authority  on  the  subject,  to  whom  I  sent  specimens, 
says  the  plant  is  rare  in  England.— David  McArdle,  Glasnevin. 


ZOOLOGY. 
MOLL  use  A. 
Marine  Shei,i<s.  In  the  Zoologist  for  May,  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart  brings  to  a 
conclusion  his  "Notes  on  Marine  MoUusca  collected  on  the  coasts  of 
Donegal  and  Dublin,"  which  have  been  running  through  several  num- 
bers. The  title  is  a  somewhat  misleading  one,  "Donegal  and  Dublin" 
including  the  counties  of  Londonderry,  Down,  Louth,  Wexford,  Water- 
ford,  and  Galway,  and  had  the  writer  omitted  iibiquitous  species,  and 
paid  a  little  attention  to  the  already  published  records  of  Thompson  and 


Notes.  6 1 

others  as  regards  the  rest,  he  might  have  saved  the  obliging  editor  a  good 
deal  of  his  valuable  space.  We  extract  the  following  species,  as  being 
among  the  rarer  shells  recorded : — Donegal,  Lima  hians,  Liicinopsis  undata^ 
Tellina  squalida,  Psafiwiobia  vespertina,  Scrobicularia  tenuis,  Ceratisolen  legumen, 
Solen  vagina,  Trochus  gramdatus,  Adeo7'bis  subcarinatus,  Aplysia  punctata.  Dub- 
lin, Pecten  tigrinus,  Scrobiculatia  prismaiica,  Thracia  papyracea,  Pholas  parva^ 
Barleeia  rubra,  Homalogyra  rota,  Cceciim  trachea,  Pleurotoma  costata,  P.  brachy- 
stoma,  P.  nebula,  Cylichna  acuminata,  Aplysia  punctata.  Blsewhere,  Pecten 
septemradiatus  (Derry) ;  Pinna  rudis  (Wexford  and  Down) ;  Diplodonta  rotun- 
data  (Galway) ;  Isocardia  cor  (Waterford  and  Louth). ^ 

Odostomia  albella,  Loven,  in  Irbi^and.  This  little  shell,  which,  so 
far  as  I  am  aware,  has  not  been  hitherto  recorded  in  a  recent  state  from 
Ireland,  occurred  to  me  in  shell-sand  lately  gathered  on  the  shore  at 
Groomsport,  Co.  Down — a  single  example  only  was  obtained.  In  a  fossil 
state  its  only  Irish  record  is  in  a  paper  which  I  recently  laid  before  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy,  in  which  it  is  noted  as  occurring  in  estuarine  clay 
at  West  Bank,  Belfast  lyough.  In  both  instances  the  species  was  kindly 
determined  by  Mr.  J.  T.  Marshall  of  Torquay.  The  same  shell-sand 
yielded — Crenella  decussaia,  Lima  subauricidata,  Modiolaria  discors,  Astarte  tri- 
angularis, the  four  British  species  of  Lacuna,  Rissoa  retictdata,  R.  cingillus, 
Odostomia  lactea,  0.  interstincta,  0.  pallida,  and  other  commoner  forms,  all  of 
them  in  a  fresh  state. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 


B  LRDS, 

Arrivai,  of  Summer  Migrants. — Some  readers  of  the  Irish  Naturalist 
may  like  to  know  the  dates  on  which  the  summer  migrants  have  arrived 
in  this  neighourhood  this  year.  The  following  are  from  personal  ob- 
servation:— Wheat-ear,  March  22nd,  between  Kenmare  and  Killarney; 
Swallow,  April  6th,  Rossbeigh;  Landrail,  April  26th,  Cahirciveen; 
Cuckoo,  April  28th,  Cahirciveen. — W.  V.  Delap,  Cahirciveen,  Co.  Kerry. 

Swallows  were  seen  at  Barne,  and  also  near  this  towm  on  April  i6th  for 
the  first  time  this  year. — Robert  Hunter,  Clonmel. 

The  Tree-creeper  (Certhia  familiaris)  as  a  Song-bird. — Is  it  a 
fact  that  "most  of  our  writers  on  ornithology  describe  the  Tree-creeper 
as  a  non-singing  bird?"  I  am  aware  of  one  popular  author  (well-known 
in  Ireland)  who  by  implication  does  so;  but  as  he  pays  the  same  in- 
different compliment  to  both  our  common  Wagtails,  I  can  only  assume 
that  his  definition  of  the  word  "song"  is  somewhat  exacting.  The 
Tree-creeper's  melody  sounds  to  my  ear  like  the  syllables,  "ticka-tee-tee- 
tee-tee-tee-ticka-ticka,"  and  is  usually  uttered  as  the  bird  makes  a  pause 
in  its  progress  up  the  tree-trunk,  and  holds  its  head  sideways  in  a 
languishing  attitude.  I  have  the  following  noted  as  dates  for  first  hear- 
ing the  Tree-creeper's  song  in  different  years: — 1882,  March  30th;  1885, 
March  20th;  1886,  January  ist  (but  not  heard  again  until  March  13th); 
1887,  March  19th.  Since  the  latter  date,  not  having  been  out  of  Dublin 
in  early  spring,  I  have  taken  no  notes  on  the  subject.— C.  B.  Moffat, 
Dublin. 

The  Spotted  Crake  (Forzana  maruetta),  etc.  in  Co.  Louth.— The 
district  lying  inland  from  Dundalk,  and  extending  on  the  one  side  to 
Crossmaglen,  and  on  the  other  to  Ardee,  abounds  in  marshes,  for  the 
most  part  formed  by  bogs  which  have  in  days  past  been  cut  away,  and 
which,  owing  to  the  want  of  fall  for  main  drainage,  remain  unreclaimed. 
Many  of  these,  even  to  the  most  experienced  snipe-shot,  are  almost  in- 
accessible, being  composed  of  a  floating  sedge  which  a  dog  can  hardly 
cross,  and  hence  when,  ten  years  since,  I  spent  much  time  in  pursuit  of 
long-bills,  it  was  sometimes  my  good  fortune  to  come  upon  specimens  of 
the  rarer  of  the  grallatores.  The  Water-rail  [Ralhis  aquaticus)  was  to  be 
met  with  everywhere,  and  I  have  frequently  seen  the  young  birds  when 
duck-shooting  in  the  month  of  August.     In  the  same  district  I  secured 


*  Carlingford  is  in  Louth,  not  Down,  as  twice  stated  in  the  present  paper. 


62  Notes. 

specimens  of  the  Common  Bittern  {Botatirus  stellaris),  Green  Saifdpiper 
( Totatms  ochropus),  Red  Godwit  {Liinosa  cegocephala),  and  the  Spotted  Crake 
\Porzana  tnaruetla).  The  latter  was  found  frequently,  but  although  I  have 
no  doubt  they  breed  in  the  district,  I  was  never  successful  in  my  search 
for  their  nests.  Like  the  Water-rail,  and,  indeed,  all  gallinules,  the 
Spotted  Crake  rarely  resorts  to  flight  unless  it  sees  no  other  means  of 
escape,  preferring  rather  to  take  refuge  in  the  nearest  tuft  of  grass  or 
sedge  until  found  by  the  sportsman's  dog.  When  it  rises  its  flight  is  very 
rapid,  not  unlike  that  of  the  Quail,  and  being  but  a  small  mark  it  is  not 
easily  shot.  One  of  the  specimens  secured  by  me  is  now  in  the  Science 
and  Art  Museum,  Dublin,  and  a  second  is  to  be  seen  at  my  house. — H.  D. 
M.  Barton,  Antrim. 


GBOLOGY. 

PERFORATIONS  IN  CARBONIFEROUS  LIMESTONE.  In  the  demesne  of 
Brittas,  adjoining  this  village,  there  are  some  curious  perforations  in  the 
limestone  rock.  The  first  of  these  perforations  I  observed  are  in  a  rock 
which  crops  out  of  a  rather  steep  brae  (now  covered  with  a  wood)  for 
about  four  feet  high.  On  the  face  of  this  rock  I  observed  lately  a  num- 
ber of  round  holes,  as  neatly  formed  as  if  bored  into  the  stone  by  human 
hands.  I  was  curious  enough  to  examine  the  stone  to  see  what  caused 
these  perforations,  but  found,  to  my  surprise,  that,  in  a  part  of  the  stone 
which  beetled  over,  the  holes  were  quite  numerous,  in  fact  the  rock  was 
quite  honeycombed  by  them  in  places.  I  further  observed  that  these 
holes  all  had  an  upward  tendency,  as  I  found  by  testing  by  the  finger. 
These  holes  are  all  about  an  inch  in  diameter.  In  depth  they  extend 
for  about  three  inches  into  the  stone,  their  ends  being  blunt  and  rounded. 
The  rock  itself,  from  being  exposed  to  the  w^eathering  influence  of  the  at- 
mosphere for  untold  ages,  has  in  many  places  been  wasted  away,  so  that 
the  sides  of  some  of  the  holes  have  given  way,  and  they  now  show  merely 
a  section  of  their  former  construction,  or,  according  to  their  position,  the 
blunted  terminations  of  the  little  tunnels  now  seen  as  depressions  on  the 
face  of  the  stone.  Now  what  caused  these  perforations  ?  Most  certainly 
they  were  not  caused  by  man.  I  have  read  that  in  the  Mediterranean, 
and  other  warm  seas,  there  is  a  perforating  mussel  which  bores  into  sub- 
merged rocks.  Could  it  be  that  when  Ireland  was  covered  by  a  warm 
sea,  the  water  was  inhabited  by  a  similar  boring  mussel  ?  If  so,  I  would 
be  glad  to  know  if  the  remains  of  his  work  have  been  observed  in  other 
localities. — Owen  Smith,  Nobber,  Co.  Meath. 

The  phenomenon  described  by  Mr.  Owen  Smith  seems  to  be  the  same 
as  what  I  have  seen  myself  by  the  side  of  Lough  Mask.  The  holes  which 
I  saw  were  just  what  he  describes,  many  of  them  looking  as  if  they  had 
been  bored  artificially,  they  were  so  straight,  and  even,  and  circular.  I 
did  not  see  any  on  the  rock  in  situ ;  I  had  not  the  opportunity  of  looking 
for  them.  What  I  saw  were  in  stones  forming  the  wall  by  the  roadside. 
The  slabs  were  portions  of  beds  of  the  limestone,  and  the  holes  were  at 
right-angles  to  the  bedding  surfaces.  Some  of  the  slabs  were,  as  he  says, 
quite  honeycombed  with  them.  Are  there  any  lithodomous  molluscs  able 
to  produce  holes  so  large  }  I  cannot  think  that  they  could  make  them 
so  straight  and  even.  The  most  probable  explanation  seems  to  be  that 
they  have  been  dissolved  out  by  water ;  but  why  or  how  it  should  work 
in  that  way  I  cannot  imagine.  If  Mr.  Smith's  are  not  at  right  angles  to 
the  bedding  planes,  it  will  be  very  interesting,  and  will  help  us  to  choose 
between  the  only  two  alternatives  that  I  can  think  of,  weathering,  or  the 
action  of  a  boring  mollusc— Rev.  M.  H.  Close,  Dublin. 

[Will  Mr.  Smith  kindly  forward  us  a  specimen  of  the  perforated  rock.— 

e;d.] 


[63  ] 


PROCEKDINGS   OF   IRISH   SOCIKTIKS. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI.OGICAI,  SOCIETY. 

Recent  donations  to  the  Gardens  are  a  pair  of  Harrier-Hawks,  from 
'F.  A,  Leigh,  Esq. ;  an  African  monkey  from  H.  M.  Smith,  Esq. ;  a  Manx 
cat  from  Mrs.  Moore;  and  a  Horned  Owl  from  W.  W.  Despard,  Esq. 

The  following  animals  have  been  acquired  by  purchase: — a  Camel,  a 
male  kangaroo,  a  pair  of  wallabys,  a  Serval,  two  opossums,  and  two 
Drills. 

About  18,000  persons  visited  the  Gardens  in  April. 


DUBININ  MICROSCOPICAI,  CI^UB. 

Aprii,  2ist.— The  Club  met  at  Mr.  G.  Y.  Dixon's.  Mr.  W.  Archer 
showed  an  alga  sent  to  him  by  Mr.  E.  Parfitt,  of  Exeter,  taken  from  a 
stream  near  that  city.  The  plant  consists  of  slender  filaments  of  oscilla- 
toreous  structure,  and  resembles  Leptothrix  ochracea^  from  which,  however, 
it  differs  in  its  yellow  colour  in  the  mass.     It  may  be  Oscillatoria  leptothi-ix. 

Colonel  O'Hara  showed  corpuscles  of  human  blood  after  an  attack  of 
influenza. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  showed  sections  through  the  body  of  a  larval 
Halobates. 

Dr.  McWeeney  showed  sections  of  miliary  tuberculosis  of  the  human 
oviduct.  The  giant-cells  were  numerous,  and  there  was  a  great  de- 
velopment of  small-cell  inflammatory  tissue  beneath  the  branched 
lumen  of  the  tube.  The  bacilli,  of  which  there  were  very  few  demon- 
strable, were,  for  the  most  part,  contained  in  the  giant-cells.  There 
appeared  to  be  a  want  of  virulence  in  the  organisms. 

Professor  Cole  exhibited  a  section  showing  an  inclusion  of  Ordovician 
rock  in  the  granite  of  Killiney  Park,  Dublin.  The  included  mass  has 
been  converted  into  a  tourmaline-schist,  boric  acid  having  probably 
attacked  it  during  the  later  stages  of  igneous  activity. 


be:i,fast  naTurai^IvSTS'  field  ci^ub. 

Aprii,  27th. — The  President  in  the  chair.  This  was  the  annual  meet- 
ing. The  senior  Secretary  (Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  M.R.I.A.),  read  the 
annual  Report,  which  showed  that  the  membership  was  larger  than  ever 
previously  in  the  history  of  the  society,  and  that  the  Club  was  in  a 
most  flourishing  condition.  The  Treasurer  (Mr.  W.  H.  Phillips,  F.R.H.S.), 
submitted  the  Statement  of  Accounts,  which,  with  the  Report,  was 
adopted.  The  office-bearers  of  the  last  year  were  re-elected,  with  some 
slight  changes  on  the  committee.  Discussion  ensued  on  a  proposed 
change  in  the  rules,  and  on  the  places  to  be  visited  during  the  summer 
session.  The  junior  Secretary  (Mr.  F.J.  Bigger),  reported  on  some  con- 
templated archaeological  restorations.  Mr.  Praeger  exhibited  a  number 
of  bones  and  fragments  of  antlers  of  the  Irish  Elk  {Cervus  gigantais)  ob- 
tained at  the  base  of  the  bed  of  peat  underl3dng  the  docks  at  Belfast, 
which  yielded  the  skull  of  the  same  species  which  he  recently  exhibited 
(/.  N.,  p.  22).  An  examination  of  the  six  collections  to  which  prizes  had 
iaeen  awarded  concluded  the  business  of  the  evening. 


DUBININ   NATURAI^ISTvS'   FIEI.D   CI,UB. 

Aprii<  3otli. — The  first  excursion  of  the  season  was  attended  by  forty- 
four  members.  The  party  walked  from  Carrickmines  to  the  Dingle,  and 
then  on  to  the  Scalp.  Prof  Cole  pointed  out  the  chief  physical  features 
of  these  remarkable  gorges,  and  explained  their  formation  as  at  the  last 
evening  meeting  of  the  Club  (/.  N.,  p.  40).  The  party  then  proceeded 
over  the  hill  into  the  Lower  Glencullen  Valley  where  the  middle  sands 


64  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

and  gravels  of  the  Drift  are  exposed  in  a  fine  section.  The  points  of  in- 
terest were  pointed  out  by  Rev.  M.  H.  Close.  Some  excellent  photo- 
graphs of  geological  features  were  obtained  by  Prof.  Haddon  and  Mr. 
McNab.  (The  sketch  of  the  weathering  granite  in  the  Dingle,  p.  56,  is 
from  one  of  these).  Though  the  interest  of  the  excursion  was  mainly 
geological,  some  good  botanical  and  entomological  work  was  done.  Dr. 
B.  J.  McWeeney  collected  Puccinia  umbilici,  oecidospores  of  Uromyces  poc& . 
growing  on  Ranunculus  JicaHa,  and  other  fungi,  of  which  a  detailed  ac- 
count will  be  given  later.  Of  Coleoptera,  Mr.  J.  M.  Browne  took  Helodes 
phellandrii,  a  chrysomelid  new  to  the  Dublin  list,  Badister  bipustulatus,  and 
Philhydrus  melanocephalus ;  while  Mr.  H.  K.  G.  Cuthbert  secured,  among 
other  commoner  species,  Chlcenius  vestitus,  Ptcrostichus  versicolor,  Bembidium 
doris,  Phcedon  tumidulum,  Hypera  niurina,  and  Sitones  tibialis. 


CORK  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI.D  ClyUB. 

Aprii,  22nd.— Mr.  T.  Farrington,  M.A.,  in  the  chair.  Mr.  W.  J. 
Knight,  IvIv.D.,  gave  a  lecture  entitled  "A  Gossij)  on  the  Geology  of 
Cork,"  illustrated  by  diagrams  and  specimens.  The  ice  ages  of  the  world, 
and  the  causes  affecting  them,  were  first  dealt  with,  after  which  the 
lecturer  pointed  out  the  distinctive  evidence  in  Ireland  of  the  work  of 
glaciers,  especially  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cork.  He  maintained  that 
the  lie  of  mountains  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  together  with 
the  fact  of  similar  geological  formations  and  minerals  being  found  in 
each,  proves  the  existence  of  original  ranges  now  broken  up.  The  old 
sea-bed  of  Blarney,  and  the  quarries  of  Little  Island,  were  described  and 
explained.  A  discussion  followed.  The  Secretary  announced  to  the 
meeting  Mr.  J.  O'Sullivan's  munificent  gift  of  his  herbarium  of  the  Co. 
Cork  flora,  containing  7,000  specimens  of  plants,  to  the  museum  of  the 
society. 

ApriIv  29th. — The  President,  Professor  Harto^  D.Sc,  F.L.S.,  in  the 
chair.  Mr.  F.  R.  Rohu  read  a  paper  entitled  "The  Skelligs  and  their 
Feathered  Inhabitants,"  illustrated  by  several  stuffed  specimens.  Deal- 
ing with  each  species  separately,  Mr.  Rohu  gave  a  description  of  its 
plumage  and  habits.  An  account  of  the  home-life  of  sea-birds  from  the 
first  meeting  of  the  mates  to  the  maturity  of  their  progeny  was  given 
with  pleasing  originality,  as  also  some  anecdotes  showing  the  sympathetic 
qualities  of  the  Guillemot.  Mr.  W.  B.  Barrington,  Hon.  Sec,  following, 
gave  a  discourse  on  "Bird-life."  After  giving  an  outline  of  bird-classi- 
fication, Mr.  Barrington  dwelt  on  the  compensating  qualities  in  the 
different  zones.  The  power  of  flight  and  subsistence  were  explained 
and  exemplified.  The  instinct  in  birds  to  migrate,  and  the  ancient  and 
modern  theories  were  discussed,  and  the  aerial  routes,  and  the  attractive 
power  of  light  described.     A  sketch  of  local  bird-life  was  then  given. 

May  6th. — Rev.  J.  O.  Park  in  the  chair.  A  discussion  took  place  as  to 
the  best  days  for  field-rambles,  M-hen  it  was  decided  to  adopt  alternate 
Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  for  the  present.  Mr.  J.  L.  Copeman,  Hon. 
Sec,  gave  a  paper  entitled,  "A  Gossip  on  Insect  Life,"  illustrated  by  a 
large  number  of  specimens  and  diagrams.  Classification  was  first  dealt 
with,  after  which  Mr.  Copeman  explained  the  metamorphosis,  more  par- 
ticularly of  butterflies,  flies,  and  beetles,  showing  the  perfect  and  im- 
perfect changes,  and  described  the  important  function  performed  by 
insects  in  the  fertilization  of  plants.  A  discussion  followed.  Intimation 
was  given  by  the  Secretary  of  Mr.  Wolfe's  offer  to  give  duplicates  of 
insects  in  his  collection  to  the  society's  museum. 

The  following  rambles  have  been  taken  by  members  of  the  Club: — 

April  iSth  to  Blarney,  conducted  by  Mr.  J.  O'SuUivan. 

April  23rd  to  Goulding's  Glen,  conducted  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Knight,  LL.D. 

April  30th  to  Little  Island,  conducted  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Knight,  LL.D. 

May  7th  to  MonkstoMm,  conducted  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Bennett  and  Mr.  W.  H. 
Shaw. 


^^e  ^vx&\)  ^ainvaii&t 


Vol..  I.  JUIvY,  1892,  No.  4. 


THK  IRISH  I,AND  AND  FRKSHWATKR  MOI.I.USCA. 

BY  R.  F.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 


{Coutiniied from  page  47.) 


GASTROPODA. 

PULMONATA. 


Genu  s— H  Y  a  L  I  N  I  a  . 

The  species  belonging  to  this  genus  are  in  most  text-books  united  with 
those  of  the  genus  Zonites;  but  their  claim  to  be  placed  under  the  genus 
Hyalinia  has  been  fully  recognised  for  some  time  past.  This  is  a  very- 
ancient  genus,  and  must  have  originated  in  the  palaeozoic  period,  as  it 
occurs  fossli  in  Canadian  Carboniferous  strata. 

Hyalinia  cellaiia,  Miiller. 
I.     II.    —    IV.    V.    —    VII.    VIII.     —    X.    —    XII. 

This  species  is  commonly  distributed.  The  large  specimens  which, 
according  to  Thompson  (15)  have  been  taken  in  Dublin,  are  no  doubt 
referable  to  the  next  species,  which  grows  much  larger.  A  single  speci- 
men which  I  took  on  Sherkin  Islajid,  Co.  Cork,  seems  to  me  to  agree  with 
the  description  of  H.  pictonica,  Bgt.,  but  as  was  suggested  to  me  by 
Mr.  B.  B.  Woodward,  it  may  only  be  an  abnormal  form  of  H.  cellaria. 

Foreign  Distribution. — It  is  common  in  Great  Britain,  and  spread 
over  the  rest  of  Europe  and  Asia  Minor,  the  Azores,  Canaries,  and  Madeira. 
It  is  found  also  in  Eastern  North  America,  but  is  supposed  to  have  been 
introduced. 

Hyalinia  Draparnaudi,  Beck. 
I.    —    —    —    V.    —    —    VIII.    _    —    _    — 

There  has  been  no  previous  record  of  this  species  from  Ireland.  It  is 
the  large  shell  which  the  late  Mr.  T.  W.  Warren  found  in  Dublin,  where 
it  has  also  since  been  obtained  by  Prof  G.  V.  Hart.  I  myself  have  only 
found  it  on  Valentia  and  the  Aran  Islands  on  the  West  Coast. 

Foreign  Distribution. — In  England  it  has  only  been  found  in  the 
south-west,  and  it  has  a  confined  distribution  in  Western  Europe  ranging 
from  Western  Germany  over  France,  Italy,  and  Corsica. 

A 


66  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Hyalinia  alliaria,  Miller. 

I.     II.     —    IV.     V.    VI.    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

Considerable  interest  is  attached  to  this  species,  as  it  has  most  probably 
originated  somewhere  in  the  British  Islands,  where  it  is  one  of  the  most 
common  Hyalinia,  while,  except  in  a  few  isolated  localities  in  Northern 
Germany,  Denmark,  and  Southern  Sw^eden,  it  is  unknown  in  other  por- 
tions of  the  globe. 

(Hyalinia  gflabra,  Studer.) 

This  species  has  been  recently  recorded  from  Co.  Monaghan  (lo),  but 
as  no  Irish  collector  has  ever  found  a  specimen,  and  some  doubt  seems 
still  to  prevail  whether  this  species  occurs  in  Great  Britain,  I  venture  to 
think  that  I  may  be  justified  in  excluding  it  at  present  from  the  list  of 
species  inhabiting  Ireland. 

Hyalinia  nitidula,   Drap. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

Many  continental  conchologists  look  upon  H.  niiens,  Mich.,  as  a  distinct 
form,  but  it  seems  to  me  to  be  only  a  somewhat  larger  variety  of  the 
above.     Both  forms  occur  commonly  in  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Commonly  distributed  in  Great  Britain, 
Southern,  Western,  Central,  and  Northern  Continental  Europe,  as  far 
north  as  Southern  Sweden. 

Hyalinia  pura,  Alder. 
—    II.     —    IV.    V.     —    VII.     —    —    X.     —    XII. 

This  species  is  rather  rare  in  Ireland.  It  is  found  in  the  Wicklow 
mountains  and  on  Howth  Hill,  and  I  have  also  taken  it  at  Renvyle  in 
Connemara,  and  at  Cultra  in  Co.  Down.  Mr.  Waller  (i6)  records  it  from 
Finnoe,  Co.  Tipperary. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain  and  Continental  Northern, 
Central,  and  Southern  Europe.     In  the  Alps  up  to  7,000  feet. 

Hyalinia  radiatula,  Alder. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     —    X.     XI.     XII. 

Like  the  preceding,  this  is  a  rare  species;  but  it  has  been  taken  in  most 
parts  of  Ireland,  Thompson  (15)  has  met  with  it  in  several  localities 
throughout  Down  and  Antrim;  Waller  (16)  reported  it  from  Tipperary^; 
and  Milne  (10)  from  Donegal  and  Fermanagh.  I  found  it  at  Greystones 
(Co.  Wicklow),  Howth  (Co.  Dublin),  Renvyle  (Co.  Galway),  and  GlengarifF 
(Co.  Cork). 

Foreign  Distribution. — This  is  no  doubt  a  very  ancient  species.  It 
has  been  recorded  from  a  number  of  places  in  Great  Britain,  and  it  ranges 
over  nearly  the  whole  of  Europe  and  the  Caucasus,  also  Siberia  and  North 
America,  as  far  South  as  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  (In  America  it  is  known  as 
Zonites  viridulus,  Meuke.) 

Hyalinia  crystallina,  Miiller. 

I.     II.    —    IV.     V.     -    VII.     VIII.     —    X.     —    XII. 

This  is  equally  common  on  the  west  and  east  coasts,  as  well  as  inland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Ranges  over  Great  Britain^  and  the  rest  of 

Europe,  with  the  exception  of  the  south-east,  and  is  found  on  the  Azores. 


The  Irish  La7id  and  Freshwater  Mollusca.  67 

Hyalinia  contracta,  West. 


This  species  is  new  to  the  British  Fauna.  The  specimen  which  I 
obtained  at  Killarney  is  more  like  that  described  by  Clessin  as  H. 
dubreuili,  but,  as  Mr.  B.  B.  Woodward  has  pointed  out  to  me,  the  latter 
is  probably  only  a  variety  of  H.  contracta,  and  it  is  considered  as  such  by 
Dr.  Westerlund.  It  differs  from  //.  crystallina  in  having  one  more  whorl, 
and  in  the  two  last  being  equal  in  breadth,  instead  of  the  outer  one 
being  considerably  broader. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Sweden,  Norway,  Northern  Germany, 
France,    and  Switzerland. 


Hyalinia  fulva,  Miiller. 
I.     —    —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

By  many  authorities  this  species  is  placed  in  a  separate  genus 
Conulus,  as  its  form  differs  so  much  from  the  general  type  of  the  Hya- 
linia;. To  judge  from  the  large  number  of  specimens  obtained  by  Mr. 
Praeger  in  the  Co.  Dowm,  it  must  be  pretty  common  there,  but  about 
Dublin  it  is  extremely  rare. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Like  H.  radiatula,  this  species  has  a  very 
wide  distribution,  ranging  over  the  whole  of  E)urope,  Northern  Africa, 
the  Azores,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 

Hyalinia  excavata,  Bean. 
I.    —    —    —    V..?    —    —    VIII.    —    —    —    — 

On  the  south-west  and  west  coast  this  species  is  fairly  common,  espe- 
cially in  Connemara,  but  it  is  evidently  quite  absent  from  the  east  coast, 
as  neither  my  predecessors,  Messrs.  Warren  and  Thompson,  nor  myself, 
have  ever  found  it,  and  the  record  from  Dublin  in  Messrs.  Ta3dor  and 
Roebuck's  list  is,  I  venture  to  think,  erroneous.  By  many  Continental 
authorities  this  species,  along  with  the  next,  is  placed  in  a  separate 
genus  Zonitoides. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Beyond  Great  Britain  this  species  has  only 
been  found  at  a  single  locality — viz.,  Flensburg,  in  Northern  Germany, 
and  I  think  it  is  possible  that,  like  U.  alliaria,  it  may  have  originated  in 
the  British  islands. 

Hyalinia  nitida,  Miiller. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.    V.    —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

This  is  H.  lucida,  Drap,  and,  as  Thompson  has  already  mentioned 
it  is  a  very  rare  species  in  Ireland.  He  has  recorded  it  from  Kilmegan 
Bog  (Down),  Portarlington  (Queen's  Co.),  and  Finnoe  (Tipperary),  while 
Miss  Warren  has  kindly  supplied  me  with  speciemens  from  Co.  Sligo.  It 
has  also  been  found  at  Rathfarnham,  and  I  myself,  obtained  a  dead 
specimen  at  Stepaside  (Dublin). 

Foreign  Distribution. — This  species  has  an  enormous  range,  occur- 
ring over  the  whole  of  Kurope,  Algeria,  Thibet,  Turkestan,  Siberia,  Japan, 
and  North  America. 

(TO   BE   CONTINUED.) 

B 


[  68  ] 

HEPATIC^    OF    THE    KING'S    AND    QUEEN'S 

COUNTIES. 

BY  DAVID   M'ARDIvK. 


ThK    following    list    of   Liverworts    enumerates    the    joint 
collections   made   by   myself  and    the    Rev.    Canon    Russell 
of  Geashill  Rector}^,   at  whose   kind  invitation  I  made  two 
brief    but   very    interesting    excursions,   one    in    the    spring 
of  1890,    and  again,   in  August  of  last  3"ear,  to  the   Bog  of 
Allan,  which  occupies  a  considerable  portion  of  the  King's 
County  eastward  of  the  river  Shannon.     I  also  collected  on  a 
small  portion  of  the  vSlieve  Bloom  Mountains,  near  Clonaslee, 
Queen's  County.     A  visit  to  the  mountain  district  earlier  in 
the  year,  would  have  been  more  productive  in  the  plants  of 
which   we  w^ere  in  search ;    still   those   gathered   are  highly 
interesting,  and  some  of  them  are  quite  new  to  that  part  of 
the  countr}'.     During  the  summer  months  want  of  water  is 
often  experienced,  and  a  stillness  prevails,  and  one  misses  the 
music  of  the  cascades  and  tumbling  streams  of  the  counties  of 
Kerry  and  Wicklow,  whose  moist  w^arm  glens  are  the  home  of 
more  than  half  of  all  the  Irish  liverworts. 

It  will  be  obvious  from  this  provisional  list  that  these 
districts  offer  a  fair  field  for  further  investigation  and  re- 
search, and  they  are  part  of  a  long  tract  of  country  from 
which  the  records  of  liverworts  are  very  few. 

*  Placed  before  a  species  or  variety  denotes  that  it  has  not  been 
reported  from  this  locahty,  that  I  am  aware  of. 

To  Dr.  Richard  Spruce  and  M.  B.  Slater,  Esq.,  F.L.S.,  of  Yorkshire,  I 
oflfer  my  best  thanks  for  their  kind  replies  when  consulting  them  on 
matters  of  doubt. 

Mardiantia  polymorplia,  Linn. — Abundant  on  the  bog  near  the  Geashill 
railway  station.  King's  Co. — D.  McA.,  1891. 

Conoceplialus    conicus,   Neck Margin   of  a   stream,   Welsh    Island, 

King's  Count}'.     Brosna  river,  stream   on   the  Slieve  Bloom  moun- 
tains.—D.  McA.,  1S91. 
Lunularia  cruciata,   Linn. — Shady  places,   Geashill  Rectory,   King's 

Co.— C.  D.  R.,  1890. 
PruUania  dilatata,  Linn. — On  the  trunks  of  trees,  Geashill,  King's  Co., 

Brittas  Demesne,  Queen's  Co.,  plentiful. 
*Drepano-Lejeunea  hamatifolia,  Hook. — On  the  trunks  of  trees  and  on 
decayed  wood,  in  Brittas  Demesne,  near  the  Lake,  Queen's  Co.,  C.  D. 
R.  and  D.  McA.,  1891. 
*Colo-Lejeunea  minutissima,  Smith. — On  moss  covered  trunks  of  trees 
and  on  decayed  wood,  Brittas  Demesne,  abundant  near  the  lake. — 
D.  McA.  and  C.  D.  R.,  1891. 
Eu-Lejeunea  serpyllifolia,  Dicks. — Cappard,  Queen's  Co.  C.  D.  R.,  1S91. 
var  *patens,   Spruce   MSS.,  L.  patens,   Lindberg. — Dr.    Moore 
on  Irish  Hepaticae,  excellent  fig.,  plate  43. — R.  I.  A.  Proc,  ser.  2, 
vol.  ii. 
Radula  complanata,  Linn. — On  the  trunks  of  trees,  Brittas  Demesne, 

and  Geashill  Rectory— plentiful. 
Lepidozia  reptans,  Linn. — Damp  bank,  Geashill  Rectory,  C.  D.  R.,  1890. 


Hepaticcs  of  the  Km^s  and  Qtieen's  Counties.  69 

Cephalozia  sphagfiii  (Spruce  on  Cepkalozia),  Jungennania  Sphagni,  Dicks., 
Crypt,  Brit.  ( 1 785).  Bogs  amongst  Sphagnum  in  both  counties— plentiful. 
*C.  lammersiana,  Huben.— y?<;z^.  bkuspidata  7  tdiginosa  Nees,  Eur.  La- 
berm  II.  253,  et  (exparte)  7  7  obliquata  Nees  I.  C.  254,  J.  biaispidata 
B.  Bot.  t.  2,239— Wet  places,  Ard  bog,  King's  Co.— C.  D.  R.,  1890-91. 
Marshy  place,  side  of  a  stream,  Slieve  Bloom  mountains,  Queen's  Co. 
— D.  McA.,  1 89 1. 

Good  authorities  consider  this  to  be  the  dioecious  and  perfect  form  of 
the  following: — 

C.  bicuspidata,  Iv.  Hook,  Brit.  Jung,  t  11. — Damp  banks,  plentiful  in 
both  counties. 

var  *setulosa,  Spruce. — Pusilla,  foliis  parvis,  lobis  subapiculatis, 
perianthiis  ore  truncato  setulosis  (setis  2-3  cellulas  longis)  brac- 
tearum  laciniis  lato-subulatis  acuminatis  utrinque  1-2  spinis.Ard — 

bog,   King'sCo C.  D,  R.,  189 1.     This  form  is  new  to  the  Irish 

Flora. 
*C.  connivens,  Dicks. — Damp  bank,  Ard  bog,  C.  D.  R.,  1890-91.     Bog  on 
Welsh  Island,  King's  Co.— D.  McA,  1891. 

var,— Larger  and  with  longer  hair,  points  to  the  leaves,  than  in 

the  normal  state. — C.  D.  R.,  1891.     Rare  or  overlooked  in  Ireland. 

*C.  catenulata,  Hubener. — Damp  bank,  Ard  bog,  amongst  the  larger 

Hepaticae.  — C.  D.  R.— 1891.  [1891. 

*C.  divaricata,',Smith. — Ard  bog,  amongst  the  larger  Hepaticae. — C.  D.  R., 

Lophocolea  bidentata,  Lim. — on  decayed  wood  and  on  damp  banks, 

plentiful  in  both  counties. 
Chiloscyphus   polyanthos,   Corda.— Side  of  a  stream   on   the   Slieve 

Bloom  mountains. — D.  McA.— 1891. 
Kantia  trichomanes,  Dicks— Plentiful  on  damp  banks,  very  fine  on  Ard 

bog.— C.  D.  R.,  1891. 
*K.  argfuta  Mont.  (Ivind.)— E.  Bot.  tab.,  1875.  Dioecious.— Stems  elon- 
gated near  the  apex,  with  smaller  and  more  remotely  placed  leaves, 
often  tipped  with  gonidiferous  gemmae.  Leaves  roundish,  oblique, 
apex  bidentate,  fragile,  divergent,  under  leaves  (stipules),  deeply  bifid 
segments  subulate. 

Amongst  Sphagnum,  Ard  bog.  King's  Co.,  C.  D.  R.,  1891.  Side  of  a 
stream  on  the  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  on  moist  clay,  D.  McA.  1891. 

Dr.  Moore  in  his  work  on  "  Irish  Hepaticae,"  p.  632,  writes: — "  Hab.  on 
wet  banks  very  rare  in  Ireland.  The  few  Irish  specimens  known  were 
collected  at  Luggielaw,  Wicklow,  creeping  over  the  stems  of  Nai'dia  com- 
prcssa,  Dr.  Lindberg  detected  them  among  my  specimens  when  examining 
them." 

Since  the  publication  of  this  valuable  work  in  1876,  I  know  that  the 
plant  has  also  been  gathered  in  Killarney  by  R.  W.  Scully,  Esq. ;  Lough- 
bray,  Co.  Wicklow,  amongst  Sphagnum  D.  McA.,  1878;  and  at  Killakee 
Glen,  Co.  Dublin,  growing  amongst  Rhynchosiegium  swartzii  D.  McA., 
September,  1890. 

Saccogyna  viticulosa,  Mich.— Ard  bog.  King's  Co.,  C.   D.  R.  1890.— 

Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  Queen's  Co.,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
Trichocolea  tomentella,   Ehrhart.— Bog    near  Geashill,   King's    Co., 

D.  McA.,  1891. 
Blepharostoma  setacea,  Web. — Ard  bog.  King's  Co.,  C.  D.  R.,   1890, 

near  Cappard,  Queen's  Co.,  1891, 
Scapania,  undulata,   Dumort. — Wet  rocks    bed  of  a  stream,    Slieve 

Bloom  Mountains,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
Diplophyllum  albicans,  Linn.— Common  in  both  counties. 
Plagfiochila  asplenoides,  Linn. — Damp  bank  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains, 

D.  McA.;  1891. 
P.  spinulosa,  Dicks. — Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  near  Clonaslee.  C.  D.  R., 

1891. 


yo  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Jungfermania  (Aplozia)  crenulata,  Smith. — Roadside,  Slieve  Bloom 
Mountains,  Queen's  Co.,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
*  J.  (Lophozia)  bantriensis,  Hook. — MSS.  J.  stipulaceum  Brit.  Jung.  t.  41. 
— Amongst  Campylopus,  in  a  damp  shady  place,  on  a  sandy  deposit, 
side  of  a  stream,  at  the  foot  of  the  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  near 
Clonaslee,  D.  McA.,  1891.  The  following  were  the  only  localities  pre- 
viously known  for  this  rare  plant  in  Ireland: — Bantry,  MissHutchins; 
GlengarifF,  Dr.  Carrington;  Brandon  Mountains,  Co.  Kerry;  Benbul- 
bin,  Co.  Sligo;  and  Gleniff,  Co.  Leitrim,  Dr.  D.  Moore.  Later  in- 
vestigation, by  Mr.  Pearson,  of  a  portion  of  the  Leitrim  plant,  proves 
it  to  be  the  var  Mullerii.  I  am  not  aware  that  this  form  had  ever  been 
previously  found  in  Ireland. 

The  plant  gathered  on  the  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains  agrees  well 
with   the  var   miisicola   mentioned  by  Dr.   Spruce  in   an  exhaustive 
description  of  J.  bantriensis  in  his  paper  on  the  "Musci  and  Hepa- 
ticae  of  Teesdale,"  published  in  the  IVansactions  of  the  Bot.  Soc.  Editi., 
vol.  ii. 
J.  (Ii.)  incisa,  Schrad. — Bog  near  Geashill,  C.  D.  R.,  1890,  Slieve  Bloom 
Mountains,  plentiful,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
*J.  (Gymnocolea)  turbiiiata,  Wils.  in  Eng.  Bot.  Suppt.  t.  2,744. — Damp 
bank  near  Geashill,  King's  Co.,  C.  D.  R.,  1890-91.     Bank  by  the  road- 
side, Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
Nardia  emarg'inata,   Ehrhart. — On   stones,   side  of  a    stream,  Slieve 

Bloom  Mountains,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
N.   scalaris,   Schrader. — Side   of  a  stream,   Slieve  Bloom   Mountains, 

D.  McA.,  1891. 
Pellata  epiphylla,  Dill. — Plentiful  in  moist  places  in  both  counties. 
•*P.  calycina,  Nees. — Bog  near  Geashill,  King's  Co.,  C.  D.  R.,  1890.    Side 
of  a  stream,  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  D.  McA.,  1891. 
Metzgeria  furcata,  Linn. — Plentiful  on  the  trunks  of  trees  in  both 
counties. 

var  serugfinosa. — On  the  trunks  of  trees  Cappard,  and  Killeigh 
Abbey,  Queen's  Co.,  C.  D.  R.,  1891. 
*M.  conjug-ata,  Dill. — Hist.  Muse.  t.  74,  fig.  45.     On  the  trunks  -of  trees, 
Geashill  Rector3%  C.  D.  R.,  1891. 
Riccardia  multifida,  Dill. — Plentiful  in  bogg}-  places  in  both  counties. 
*R.  latifrons,  Lindberg. — J.  multifida  Hook.  Brit.  Jung.  tab.  45,  figs.  4, 
7,  12.     Bog  near  Geashill,  C.  D.  R.,  1890.     Slieve  Bloom  Mountains, 
D.  McA.,  1891. 
*R.   pingTiis,  Linn. — On   a  decayed  trunk  of  a  tree  in  the  bog  Welsh 
Island,   D.  McA.,   1891,   ^.      Bog  near  the  railway  station  Geashill, 
Co.,    C.    D.    R.,    1890.      Side  of  a  stream,  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains, 
D.  McA.,  1891. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  RATHLIN  ISLAND,  CO.  ANTRIM. 

BY  ROBERT    PATTERSON,    M.B.O.U. 


( Continued  from  page  53. ) 


*Alauda  arvensis,  L. — Skyi^ark.     Common   on  the  higher  grounds, 

where  it  breeds;  frequentl}-  killed  at  the  lighthouse  in  autumn. 
*Cypselus  apus,  L. — Swift.     Common  in  summer.     They  breed  in  the 

church  tower,  and  also  on  the  White  Rocks  at  the  N.  side  of  Church 

Bay,  in  compan}-  with  the  House-Martins. 
CaprimulgTis  europoeus,  L. — Nightjar.     The  only  known  occurrence 

was  in  June,  1850,  when  a  specimen  was  shot. 


The  Birds  of  Rathlm  Island^  Co.  Antrim,  71 

*Cuculiis  canoriis,  L. — Cuckoo.  A  constant  summer  visitor.  A  young 
bird,  recently  fledged,  was  found  in  a  deserted  nest  in  August,  1883. 
Frequently  observed  by  light-keepers;  earliest  date  noted,  April  2otli. 

Strix  flammea,  L. — Barn-Owi,.  Formerly  known  as  resident  and 
breeding  in  holes  in  the  rocks ;  now  very  rarely  seen. 

Asio  otus,  Iv. — Long-eared  Owi,,  Very  rare;  one  was  shot  14th  June, 
1853,  and  another  was  caught  alive  in  April,  1863. 

A.^  accipitrinus,  Pallas. — Short-eared  Owi,.  Has  once  occurred, 
in  November,  1879,  when  a  fine  specimen  was  shot. 

Circus  seruginosus,  L. — Marsh-Harrier.  Seen  by  the  late  R.  Gage, 
12th  June,  1867,  searching  for  prey  in  one  of  the  marshes  at  the  west 
end  of  the  island.  A  bird  supposed  to  be  of  this  species  was  seen  by 
several  people  in  the  autumn  of  1891. 

Buteo  vulgaris,  Leach, — Common  Buzzard.  One  was  caught  alive 
with  a  broken  wing  below  the  cliffs  on  the  north  side,  28th  February, 
1845.  Another  was  found  dead  in  March,  1879.  These  are  the  only 
known  occurrences. 

Halisetus  albicilla,  L. — Sea-Bagi<e.  This  bird  was  formerly  a  con- 
stant resident,  and  bred  in  the  rocks  on  the  north  side  of  the  island, 
but  owing  to  the  havoc  it  committed  on  young  lambs  it  was  shot 
down  and  the  nests  robbed.  It  has  not  been  seen  for  some  years. 
Thomj^son,  writing  in  1849,  says  "In  the  island  of  Rathlin  the  Sea- 
Eagle  is  said  to  have  an  eyrie."  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  the  date 
of  the  last  attempt  to  breed. 

Accipiter  nisus,  L. — Sparrow-Hawk.  Occasionally  seen  following 
small  birds.  In  October,  1867,  one  was  seen  by  the  land-steward 
pursuing  a  thrush,  which  it  followed  into  his  kitchen,  breaking  a  pane 
of  glass  in  the  window. 

Falco  islandus,  Gmelin. — Icei<and  Fai^con.  A  fine  specimen  was 
seen  hovering  over  a  sheep-farm,  and  was  shot  by  the  shepherd,  on 
March  9th,  1865.  Its  extreme  length  was  20  inches. 
*P.  peregrinus,  Tunstall. — Peregrine  Fai^con.  A  constant  resident, 
breeding  in  the  cliffs  at  the  north  side  of  the  island.  Two  pairs  are 
known  to  breed  regularly  there. 

P.  sesalon,  Tunstall.— Meri<in.  The  only  occurrence  of  this  little 
falcon  was  on  the  loth  December,  1888,  when  one  was  caught  alive  in 
a  house  into  which  it  had  pursued  a  bird.  , 
*P.  tinnunculus,  L. — Kestrei<.  Very  common;  breeds  on  cliffs  all 
round  the  island.  On  the  2nd  June,  1889,  my  cousin,  Mr.  Praeger, 
took  a  curious  clutch  of  four  eggs.  They  were  white,  mottled  very 
slightly  with  reddish-brown,  and  the  texture  was  exceedingly  rough. 

Fhalacrocorax  carbo,  L. — Cormorant.  Once  very  common  at  the 
Bull  Rock,  where  they  bred  in  the  caves.  They  are  only  occasionally 
seen  now,  and  have  ceased  to  breed.  An  unusually  large  one  taken 
alive  in  1867,  disgorged  a  Wrasse  14  inches  long,  10  inches  in  girth, 
and  2  lbs.  weight. 
*Plialacrocorax  graculus,  L. — Shag.  Very  common,  and  breeds  regu- 
larly in  the  caves  near  the  Bull  Rock ;  also  at  the  north  side  of  the 
island. 

Sula  bassana,  L. — Gannet.  Often  "seen  fishing  about  the  island 
during  the  autumn,  and  frequently  reported  by  the  light-keepers. 
Young  birds  have  been  picked  up  on  the  beach  after  storms,  and  I 
observed  adults  flying  over  the  island  in  June." 

Ardea  cinerea,  L. — Common  Heron.  Many  frequent  the  shores  and 
reedy  marshes,  where  small  eels  abound.  Some  of  the  inhabitants 
say  they  breed  on  the  island,  but  Mr.  Gage  never  saw  a  nest. 

Anser  cinereus,  Meyer. — Grey  Lag-Goose.  Only  seen  in  hard  winters. 
One  was  shot  in  a  field  in  October,  1867,  and  an  adult  female,  weighing 
8  lbs.,  was  shot  in  January,  1867,  on  one  of  the  loughs. 

A.  albifrons,  Scopoli — White-fronted  Goose.  Has  been  seen  in  the 
bay,  near  the  shore,  although  a  specimen  has  not  yet  been  obtained. 
A  single  bird  was  observed  in  November,  1891. 


72  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

A.  segfetum,  Gmelin.— Bean  Goose.  Frequently  seen  in  winter,  and 
specimens  have  been  procured  at  different  times. 

Bernicla  leucopsis,  Bechst.— Bernaci^e  Goose.  Has  once  occurred, 
one  being  shot  on  Ushet  lough,  30th  January,  186S. 

B.  brenta,  Pallas. — Brent  Goose.  Often  seen  in  winter,  sometimes 
in  large  flocks,  and  specimens  have  been  secured. 

Cygnus  musicus,  Bechst. — Whooper  vSwan.  Rare;  one  was  shot  on 
Ushet  lough  in  February,  1848,  and  two  others  seen.  A  flock  of  25 
were  seen  in  Church  Ba}^  in  December,  1875.  They  were  very  wild, 
and  being  followed  by  Mr.  Gage  in  a  boat,  they  all  went  away  in  a 
westward  direction. 

C.  bewicki,  Tar. — Bewick's  Swan.  Not  uncommon  in  winter  on  the 
rocks,  north  and  south.  Two  were  shot  on  Claggan  lough,  22nd  No- 
vember, 1882,  and  another  on  Ushet  at  the  same  time,  out  of  a  flock 
of  seven. 

[A  Black  Swan,  C.  atratus,  was  shot  by  the  Rev.  G.  McLean,  on 
one  of  the  loughs  about  the  centre  of  the  island,  on  the  23rd  Novem- 
ber, 1883.] 

Tadorna  cornuta,  Gmelin. — Common  SheIvDRAKE.  Often  seen  in 
winter,  and  specimens  have  been  frequently  shot  in  the  autumn.  In 
the  Migration  Report  for  1882,  the  light-keeper  reports  that  the 
Sheldrake  breeds  on  the  island,  but  Mr.  Gage  does  not  mention  the 
fact,  and  my  enquiries  tend  to  prove  that  it  does  not  breed. 
*Aiias  boscas,  Iv. — Wii^d  Duck.  Very  common,  and  breeds  in  every 
suitable  place.  I  obtained  a  clutch  of  seven  very  pale  buff  eggs  on 
the  island. 
*Querquedula  crecca,  L. — Teai,.  Common,  and  breeds  in  moderate 
numbers. 

Mareca  penelope,  Iv.  — Wigeon.  Common  on  the  large  loughs  in  winter, 
and  in  Church  Bay. 

Fuligrula  ferina,  Iv. — Pochard.  Common  winter  visitor  to  the  loughs, 
and  frequently  shot. 

F.  cristata,  Leach. — Tufted  Duck.  Fairly  common  among  the  other 
ducks  in  winter. 

P.  marila,  L. — Scaup.  Very  common  in  winter  in  Church  Bay,  and 
not  often  seen  in  the  loughs;  but  in  May,  1865,  a  mature  male  in 
breeding  plumage  was  shot  on  Ushet  lough. 

Clangula  glacion,  Iv. — Goi,den-eye.  Common  in  Church  Bay  in  the 
winter  months,  but  never  seen  on  the  island. 

Harelda  glacialis,  Iv.— Long-taieEd  Duck.  Immature  birds  are  not 
uncommon  in  Church  Bay  in  the  autumn  and  winter  months.  A  fine 
male  in  full  plumage  was  shot  in  November,  1863. 

Somateria  moUissima,  L. — Bider  Duck. — ISTot  unfrequently  seen  in 
winter.  Four  came  into  Ushet  port,  13th  September,  1870,  and  one — 
a  young  male — was  secured.  A  male  in  fine  mature  plumage  was  shot 
at  the  east  side,  17th  May,  1872,  and  on  the  lotli  November,  1877,  a 
female  was  shot  on  the  strand.  An  adult  male  was  seen  in  Church 
Bay,  i6th  November,  1882,  and  was  followed  without  success.  They 
are  more  often  seen  at  the  east  and  south  sides  of  the  island,  and 
when  they  depart  it  is  ahva3^s  in  an  eastward  direction.  Females  are 
more  commonly  seen  than  males.  "April  3rd,  three  Eider  Duck 
drifting  W.  i6th,  seventeen  Bider  Duck  on  the  water."  {Migration 
Report,  1886,  page  173.) 

S.  pectabilis,  L. — King-Bider.  Has  once  occurred.  A  female  was  shot 
in  a  bay,  west  of  Church  point,  in  November,  1861,  and  was  sent  to 
Mr.  Howard  Saunders  for  identification. 

JEdeniia  nigra,  D. — Common  Scoter.  Not  at  all  common.  A  female 
was  shot  near  the  lighthouse,  in  November,  1869,  and  a  mature  male 
was  shot  in  Ushet  port,  in  March,  1873. 

Merges  merganser,  L. — Goosander.  Ver}^  rare;  two  females  were 
sliot  near  the  west  end  of  the  island,  in  January,  1877,  and  another 
female  at  Ushet  port  in  January,  1878. 


The  Birds  of  Rathlhi  Island,  Co.  Dicblin.  73 

M.  serrator,  L.— Red-breastkd  Merganser.     Often  seen  fishing  in 

Church  Bay,  and  specimens  have  been  shot. 

*Coluniba  livia,  Gmelin.— Rock-Dove.     Very  common,  and  breeds  in 

considerable  numbers  at  the  White  Rocks. 

Phasianus  colchicus,  L.— Pheasant.     Has  several  times  been  observed 

on  the  island  at  long  intervals,  but  no  specimen  has  3'et  been  secured. 

Perdix  cinerea,  Latham. — Partridge.     Is  never  seen  except  in  very 

hard  weather;  last  occurrence,  December,  1878. 
Coturnix  communis,  Bonn. — Quaii,.     Has  occasionally  been  met  with. 
One  was  shot  in  December,  1846,  and  another  in  January,  1867. 
*Crex  pratensis,  Bechst. — Corn  Crake.     Common  in  the  meadows  and 

cornfields,  where  it  breeds.     Earliest  date  heard,  April  27th. 
*K.allus  aquaticus,  L.— WaTER-Raii,.     Frequent  in  the  marshes,  where 

it  breeds. 
*Gallmrila    chloropus,   L. — WaTER-Hen.      Very  common    in   all    the 

loughs,  where  it  breeds. 
*Pulica  atra,  L. — CooT.     Very  common,  and  breeds  in  large  numbers. 

(TO  BE   CONTINUED.) 


COUNTY   DUBIvIN,    PAST  AND    PRKSKNT. 

BY   PROF.    GRE:NVII.I.K   A.   J.    COI,K,    F.G.S. 
{Conthiued from  page  57.) 


IV. — The^  Carboniff^rous  Pfriod. 

During  the  Silurian  period,  as  we  have  seen,  the  east  of  Ireland 
was  being  converted  into  dry  land ;  and  at  its  close  great  lakes, 
even  in  the  south  and  west,  had  taken  the  place  of  the  sea,  and 
continued  to  prevail  during  the  succeeding  Devonian  period. 
The  great  accumulations  of  sand  and  conglomerate  in  these 
lake-basins,  giving  us  now  such  mountain-masses  as  the  Reeks 
of  Kerr}^  must  have  been  derived  from  the  land- surfaces  in 
their  immediate  neighbourhood;  and  thus  the  sand  worn  from 
the  schists  and  granite  of  the  lycinster  chain  no  doubt  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  "  Old  Red  Sandstone"  of  the  east. 

But  then  the  sea,  temporarily  excluded  from  the  Irish  area, 
returned  as  the  Devonian  land  again  subsided.  Marine  ani- 
mals, resembling  in  general  characters  those  already  living  in 
the  Devonian  sea  of  Belgium  and  S.W.  England,  crept  in 
over  Co.  Dublin,  marking  the  opening  of  the  great  Carbonifer- 
ous period.  The  first  deposits  in  "this  count}^  forming  along 
the  shore-line,  were  coarsely  conglomeratic,  and  are  often 
termed  ''Upper  Old  Red  Sandstone."  This  old  iron-stained 
beach,  formed  of  pebbles  of  Cambrian  quartz  and  various 
mingled  rocks,  has  been  exposed  by  denudation  on  the  north 
side  of  the  promontory  of  Portraine.  There  it  overlies  the  far 
older  Ordovician,  and  is  succeeded  regularly  by  the  Carbo- 
niferous shales  and  limestones.  This  same  handsome  con- 
glomerate can  be  seen  in  little  rocky  bosses  in  the  field 
immediately  east  of  Donabate  railway-station. 


74  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

But,  as  Mr.  G.  H.  Kinahan'  strongly  urges,  such  conglome- 
rates recur  at  various  levels  in  the  Carboniferous.  No  large 
mass  of  land  can  be  uniformly  and  suddenly  submerged.  The 
shore-line,  during  subsidence,  graduall}^  recedes ;  islands  are 
left  for  a  time,  finally  to  be  buried  in  the  sediments ;  and  froui 
their  flanks  torrents  occasionall}^  roll  down  coarse  material, 
forming  irregular  bands  of  conglomerate  among  the  more 
normal  deposits.  Thus  on  the  projecting  rocks  about  one 
and  a  half  miles  south  of  Skerries,  a  bed  occurs  in  the  Carbo- 
niferous full  of  partly  rounded  flakes  of  Ordovician  shale  and 
pebbles  of  yet  older  quartz.  The  Ordovician  is  exposed  at 
Skerries  itself,  and  at  Shenick's  Island  immediately  opposite  ; 
and  thus  at  the  present  day  marine  beaches  are  forming  in 
this  area  in  precise  repetition  of  those  of  Carboniferous  times. 
More  striking  conglomerates  can  be  seen  at  the  southern  side 
of  the  entr>"  to  Rush  harbour,  forming  considerable  beds  in 
the  steeply  dipping  Carboniferous  series.  The  coarseness  of 
the  materials  shows  that  land  was  not  far  off  at  the  time  of 
their  deposition. 

In  its  more  finel}^  grained  deposits  the  Carboniferous  system 
of  Co.  Dublin  also  bears  evidence  of  abundant  foreign  material. 
Much  of  the  limestone,  formed  in  the  deepening  sea  by  the 
accumulation  of  shells,  crinoid-stems,  etc.,  assumes  a  black 
argillaceous  character;  such  beds  have  been  st3ded  the  "Calp." 
If  the  rock  is  dissolved  in  acid,  the  black  clay  is  separated, 
and  forms  a  fine  mud  in  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  As  has 
often  been  pointed  out,"  this  mud  was  derived  from  the  neigh- 
bouring .spurs  and  islands  formed  of  Ordovician  or  older  rocks. 

In  the  south  of  the  county,  the  foreign  bodies  in  the  "calpy" 
limestone  give  us  conclusive  proof  as  to  the  antiquity  of  the 
granite  chain.  Both  schistose  fragments  from  the  altered 
Ordovicians,  as  ma}^  be  seen  in  the  stones  used  for  the 
Booterstown  sea-wall,  and  granite  fragments,  as  in  the  quar- 
ries of  Milltown  and  Crumlin,^  are  embedded  in  the  limestone, 
and  prove  that  the  igneous  mass  had  consolidated  before  the 
Carboniferous  sea  invaded  the  countr}^  Dr.  Haughton  has 
observ^ed  pieces  of  granite  in  the  limestone  as  much  as  eight 
inches  in  diameter.  The  sea  clearl}^  wrapped  round  the  flanks 
of  the  lycinster  chain,  and  continued  subsidence  finally  allowed 
of  the  deposition  of  Carboniferous  strata  sufficient  to  bury 
even  the  highest  summits. 

The  great  mass  of  the  Lower  Carboniferous  strata  of  County 
Dublin  may  be  classed  as  compact  gre}^  or  darker  limestone, 
well  bedded,  and  abounding  in  marine  fossils.  A  good  list  of 
these  and  of  their  localities  has  been  published  by  Mr.  W.  H. 

1  "  Geology  of  Ireland,"  p.  64. 

^  Memoir  to  sheets  102  and  112,  Geol.  Survey  of  Ireland,  2nd  ed.,  p.  7. 

•''Haughton,  ''Notice  of  the  occurrence  of  fragments  of  Granite  in 
Ivimestone,"  G,  S.  D.,  v.,  113  ;  Montgomer}-,  "  Granite  in  Limestone  near 
Rathfarnham,"  G.  S.  /.,  i,,  15. 


Cou7ity  Dtiblm,  Past  and  Present,  75 

Bail5^'  The  quarry  west  of  St.  Doolagh's,  a  hamlet  2^  miles 
south  of  Malahide,  where  half  of  an  ovoid  hill  has  been  already 
cut  awa}",  offers  perhaps  the  most  fascinating  field.  As  in  all 
compact  limestones,  the  fossils  stand  out  on  weathered  surfaces, 
but  are  difficult  to  extricate  entire. 

The  Carboniferous  sea  was  rich  in  corals  of  the  old  tetra- 
corallan  type;  in  brachiopods,  particularl}^  Spwifer  and /*;^- 
ducttcs ;  in  gastropods,  as  Euoniphalus,  which  is  coiled  almost 
in  one  plane ;  and  in  cephalopods,  as  Nautilus  and  its  extinct 
straight  all}^,  Orthoceras.  But  the  lower  types  still  largely 
predominated;  taking  as  an  example  345  species  of  shell- 
bearing  animals  from  the  Lower  Carboniferous  Limestone  01 
Ireland,  as  cited  by  Sir  Richard  Grifiith  in  one  of  his  famous 
lists, ""  we  find  the  following  percentages: — Brachiopods  37.5, 
Lamellibranchs  21.9,  Gastropods  18' i.  Utilising  527  species 
living  in  modern  British  seas,^  the  percentages  are  : — Brachio- 
pods 1.3,  Lamellibranchs  32.6,  and  shell-bearing  Gastropods 
no  less  than  48.  Perhaps  the  life  of  the  Carboniferous  sea 
seems  still  more  remote  from  that  of  our  times  when  we  ex- 
amine the  larger  forms.  The  fishes  are  all  elasmobranchs 
(sharks  and  ra3^s) ;  or  ganoids,  like  the  now  restricted  Lepi- 
dosteus  of  America  and  Polypterus  of  the  Nile ;  or  dipnoi,  like 
Ceratodus  of  Queensland,  a  fish  linked  very  closely  to  the 
amphibians.  Of  the  teleosteans,  the  familiar  modern  bony 
fishes,  there  is  not  a  trace  in  any  country^  In  Co.  Dublin  only 
a  few  teeth  and  scales  of  fishes  have  been  found. 

We  know  that  amphibians  walked  upon  the  adjoining  land 
— in  Upper  Carboniferous  times  at  any  rate;-*  but  no  true 
reptile  had  arisen  to  assert  itself  among  them.  Plants  have 
become  washed  in  here  and  there  from  the  land,^  as,  for 
instance,  near  Loughshinny;  but  the  great  development  of 
low  tj^pes  of  vegetation  in  the  Carboniferous  period  must  be 
studied  in  beds  which  denudation  has  removed  from  Co. 
Dublin. 

The  Carboniferous  Limestone  has  undergone  two  marked 
types  of  alteration.  Firstly,  chert  has  frequently  developed, 
silica  replacing  the  carbonate  of  lime,  and  flint}^  nodules  and 
bands  resulting.  These  can  be  beautifully  seen,  running  par- 
allel to  the  bedding,  in  the  low  promontory  north  of  the  sands 
at  Rush.  The  chemical  aspects  of  Irish  cherts  has  been  dis- 
cussed by  Mr.  Hardman,*^  and  secT:ions  have  been  described  by 

^  "  Palseoiitolog}'  of  County  Dublin,"  G.  S.  /.,  v.,  pp.  85-95. 
-"Localities  of  the  Irish  Carboniferous  Fossils,"  G.  S.  D.,  ix.  (1S60), 

P-  37- 

3  "  Report  of  the  British  Association  for  i860,"  p.  218. 

4  "Huxley  and  Wright,  "On  Fossil  Vertebrata  from  the  Jarrow  Col- 
liery,   Trans.  Roy.  Irish  Acad.,  xxiv.  (1867),  p.  351  ;   Bail}',  I\t'p.  Bnt.  Assoc.' 
for  1878,  p.  530,  and  for  1883,  p.  496. 

5  Griffith,  G.  S.  D.,  viii.,  78. 

^  Sci.  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc,  i.  (new  series),  p   85. 


76  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Prof.  Hull,'  Prof.  Sollas"  and  Dr.  Hinde^  showed  that  sponge- 
spicules  were  abundant  in  such  specimens,  as  in  the  Vectian 
cherts  of  England.  The  cherts  must,  indeed,  be  attributed  to 
the  solution  of  the  siliceous  skeletons  of  organisms,  such  as 
sponges,  radiolarians,  and  diatoms,  and  the  aggregation  and 
redeposition  of  the  silica  around  their  remains,  and  often  as  a 
replacement  of  the  limestone.  While  the  fine  limestone-mud 
may  be  thus  replaced  b}^  chert,  the  •  larger  calcareous  fossils 
often  escape  ;  and  finally  these  become  dissolved  away,  leaving 
only  hollow  moulds  in  the  hard  chert.  A  pleasing  instance 
of  this,  with  casts  of  stems  of  crinoids,  occurs  in  a  nearly 
vertical  bed  in  the  shales  north  of  Brook's  End  on  the  Lough- 
shinny  coast.  Of  the  pseudomorphic  replacement  of  chalk  by 
flint  there  can  be  no  manner  of  doubt ;  and  the  same  process, 
acting  long  subsequently  to  the  consolidation  of  the  rock, 
has  given  us  the  frequently  irregular  chert  nodules  of  the 
Irish  Carboniferous  Limestone.'^ 

The  second  type  of  alteration  of  the  limestone  is  its  con 
version  into  a  dolomite  by  substitution  of  magnesia  for  lime. 
The  abrupt  change  of  colour,  from  the  blue-grey  lime-stone  to 
the  brown  dolomite,  is  often  startling;  probably  the  chemical 
substitution  includes  the  introduction  of  iron  also,  the  carbo- 
nate of  iron  then  readily  oxidising  and  colouring  the  altered 
patches.  This  irregular  chemical  change  can  be  seen  at  St. 
Doolagh's ;  in  a  coarse  degree  on  the  shore  south-east  of  Rush ; 
and,  nearer  Dublin,  in  the  low  exposure  under  the  drift  at  the 
south-east  end  of  Sutton  strand.^ 

The  highest  Carboniferous  beds  in  Co.  Dublin  are  certain 
shales  in  the  north,  which  have  been  rather  variously  located 
in  the  system.  Mr.  Baily^  preferred  to  retain  them  as  Lower 
Coal  Measure  Shales,  to  which  they  had  been  referred  byjukes.7 
They  are  seen,  in  striking  contrast  to  the  more  resisting  lime- 
stones, caught  in  the  sjmclinals  of  the  latter  south  of  the  ham- 
let of  Loughshinn}^  The  earth-movements  which  have  so 
beautifully  folded  the  Carboniferous  Limestones  along  that 
coast,  making  it  one  of  the  finest  studies  that  the  physical 
geologist  can  desire,  have  contorted  and  compressed  the  black 
and  orange  shales  until  they  imitate  the  reversed  folds  and 
thrusts  of  a  mountain-chain.  During  these  post -Carboniferous 
movements,  denudation  was  activel}"  at  work,  and  some  2,000 
feet  of  Coal  Measures  and  other  Upper  Carboniferous  strata, 
formerl}"  present,  have  been  entirely  removed  from  Co.  Dublin. 

(TO   BE   CONTINUED.) 

*  Sci.  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc,  i.  (new  series),  p.  80. 

^  "  On  Spon^e-spicules  in  Chert  from  Ireland,"  Ann.  and  Mag.  Nat.  Hist., 
5th  ser.,  vol.  vii.,  p.  141. 

•    3  "  On  the  Organic  Origin  of  Chert  in  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  of 
Ireland,"  Gcol.  Mag.,  1887,  p.  435. 

4 See,  however,  Hinde,  Geol.  Mag.,  1887,  p.  445;  G.  H.  Kinahan, /^/V/., 
p.  521;  and  Hull,  ibid.,  p.  525. 

5  See  Apjohn,  G.  S.  D.,  i.,  371 ;  and  Scouler,  ibid.,  382. 

«  "  Palaeontology  of  Co.  Dublin,"  G.  S.  /.,  v.,  94. 

7  G.  S.  £>.,  viii.  (1859),  162. 


[  77  ] 
THE  COLEOPTKRA  OF  THE  ARMAGH  DISTRICT. 

BY   RE:V.    W.    F.   JOHNSON,    M.A.,    F.^.S. 
( Continued f7'07n  page  59. ) 

STAPHYI^INID^. 

Actobius  cinerascens,  Grav.— Loughnashade,  Mullinure,  Ivowry's  Lough 

in  moss  and  flood-rubbish. 
Xantholinus  punctulatus,  Payk.— Common  throughout  district. 
X.  ochraceus,  Gyll.— Dean's  Hill,  in  moss. 
X.  atratus,  Heer. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  in  moss. 
X.  linearis,  Ol.— Common  throughout  district. 
X.  long-iventris,  Heer.— Near  the  Cathedral. 
Baptolinus   alternans,   Grav. — Palace   Demesne,   in   rotten  wood,    not 

common. 
Otliius  fulvipennis,  F.  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 
O.  melanocephalus,  F.  Grav. — Common  throughout  district. 
O.  myrmecophilus,  Kies. — Common  throughout  district. 

S^bo^aL^Vo'cr"*""'  ^-  \  Co--°n  throughout  district. 

L.  fulvipenne,  Grav. — Lowry's  Lough,   banks  of  Butterwater,    Palace 

Demesne. 
L.  brunnipes,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

£:  SiZmfpapk.  }  ^^^■^'^  ^^^'^'  ^t<=-.  i°  »°^'''  P'-^t'y  ^°'"">''"- 

L.  terminatuKi,  Grav. — Loughnashade,  in  moss,  not  common. 

var.    imnxaculatum,   Fowler. — Drummanbeg    Lake,    Drummanmore 
Lake,  in  moss,   not  common. 

Cryptobirim  g'loberrimum,  Herbst. — Common  throughout  district. 

StilicTis  rufiijes,  Germ.  \ 

S.  orbiculatus,  Br.  >  Common  throughout  district. 

S.  aliinis,  Br.  ) 

Lithocharis  ochracea,  Grav.— Dean's  Hill— rare. 

Sunius  diversus,  Aube.— Common  throughout  district. 

S.  angTistatus,  Payk. — Mullinure,  in  moss,  not  common. 

Evaesthetus  ruficapillus,  Lac. — Very  common  in   moss  from  marshy 
ground, 

E.  IsBviusculus,  Mannh. — Not  quite  so  common  as  preceding,  found  un- 
der the  same  conditions. 

Dianous  coerulescens,  Gyll. — Folly,  in  moss  from  bed  of  stream — rare. 

Stemis  guttula,  Miill.,  Mullinure — sweeping — not  common. 

S.  bimaculatus,  Gyll. — Mullinure — Common. 

S.  juno,  F. — Common  throughout  district. 

S.  speculator,  E. — do.  do. 

S.  providus,  v.  rogeri,  Kr. —  do. 

S.  canaliculatus,  Gyll. — Loughgall,  Dean's  Hill— not  common. 

S.  fuscipes,  Grav. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 

S.  declaratus,  Br. — Mullinure,  Tyross,  in  moss— fairly  common. 

S.  brunnipes,  Stepli. — Mullinure— rare. 

S.  impressus.  Germ. — Mullinure,  Bdenmore — in  moss. 

S.  flavipes,  Steph. — Common  throughout  district.  [etc. 

S.  pubescens,  Steph. — Lowry's  Lough,  Loughnashade — sweeping  reeds. 

S.  binotatus,  Ljungh. — Lowry's  Lough — not  common. 

S.  canescens,  Rosh — Loughnashade,  on  reeds — rare. 

S.  pallitarsis,  vSteph. — Loughnashade,  Lowry's  Lough,  etc. — common. 

S.  bifoveolatus,  Gyll. — Mullinure — not  common. 

S.  nitidiusculus,  Steph. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough— in  moss. 

S.  cicindeloides,  Grav. — Mullinure— not  common. 


78  The  Insh  NaUiralist. 

Stenus  similis,  Herbst. — Mullinure — fairl}'^  common. 
S.  latifrons,  Er. — Common  throughout  district. 
Platystethus  arenarius,  Fourc. — Common  throughout  district. 

Sl^fa^ueXrCs.?""    }    common  throughout  district. 

O.  sculpturatus,  Grav. — Mullinure,  Palace  Demesne — pretty  common. 

O.  nitidulus,  Grav. — Mullinure — not  common. 

O.  complanatus,  Er. — Palace  Demesne,  Drummanmore  Ivake,  Cathedral 

Grammar  School  Playground — prett}^  common. 
O.  tetracarinatus,  Block — Palace  Demesne,  Drummanmore  Lake— not 

common. 
O.  fairmairei,  Pand. — Mullinure — rare. 
Haploderus    coelatus,    Grav. — Little   Castledillon,    Mullinure,    Lowry's 

Lough — not  common. 
Trog'ophlseus  bilineatus,  Steph. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 
T.  rivularis,  IMots. — Lo\vr3''s  Lough — in  moss — rare. 
T.  elongatulus,  Er. — Mullinure — in  moss — pretty  common. 
T.  corticinus,  Grav.  Loughnashade,  Mullinure— in  moss — not  common. 
T.  tenellus,  Er. — Loughnashade — not  common. 
Syntomium  aeneuui,  Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
Lesteva  longelytrata,  Goeze. — common  throughout  district. 
L.  sharpi,  Rye. — Mullinure — not  common. 

L.  sicula,  Er. — Mullinure,  in  flood  rubbish  and  moss — common. 
Acidota  crenata,  F. — Lowry^'s  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 
Lathrimseum   atrocephalum,  Gyll.— Little  Castledillon,  Loughgall,  in 

moss — not  common. 
L.  nnicolor,  Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
Homalium  rivulare,  Payk.— Cathedral  Grammar  School   Playground, 

Mullinure. 
H.  allardi,  Fairm.— Cathedral  Grammar  School   Playground,  crawling 

about  in  the  sunshine,  Mullinure — sweeping. 

H.  rufipes,  Fourc^  |    Common  throughout  district. 

H.  concinnum,  Marsh,    j  ^ 

Anthobium  minutum,  F.  Mullinure,  sweeping — fairly  common. 

Proteiiius  ovalis,  Steph. — Palace  Demesne,  etc.,  in  moss— fairly  common, 

Megarthrus  denticoUis,  Beck.  \    Common  throughout  district. 

M.  depressus,  Payk.  j  ^ 

M.  affinis,  Mill.  Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — not  common. 

FMoeobium  clypeatum,  Miill — .Little  Castledillon,  in  moss — not  common. 


[  79  ] 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    IRISH  SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI^OGICAI,  SOCIETY  OF  IRFl<AND. 

Recent  gifts  to  the  gardens  comprise  two  Japanese  mice  from  J.  B. 
O'Callaghan,  Esq.;  two  alligators  from  Dr.  Finegan;  an  armadillo  from 
the  Very  Rev.  M.  A.  Moore;  and  a  marten  from  A.  Ruttledge,  Esq. 

About  8,300  persons  visited  the  gardens  in  May. 


DUBININ  MICROSCOPICAI<  CI,UB. 

May  19th. — The  Club  met  at  Mr.  Greenwood  Pirn's,  who  showed  a 
specimen  of  Gymnosporangiiini  jiitiiperi. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Moore  showed  Uredo  lynchii. 
Mr.  W.  F.  de  V.  Kane  exhibited  Pandermium  pini. 


BKI.FAST  NATURAI^ISTS'   FlEIvD   CIvUB. 

May  21ST. — The  first  excursion  of  the  season  was  held  on  this  date. 
The  party,  thirty-six  in  number,  took  the  8.15  train  to  Ball3'castle,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  cars  westward  along  the  north  Antrim  coast  to  White  Park  Bay. 
There  the  secretaries  announced  that  two  prizes  would  be  offered  for  the 
best  collections  of  shells  and  antiquarian  objects  respectively,  made  dur- 
ing the  day.  The  members  then  scattered  over  the  shore  and  sand-dunes, 
and  worked  back  eastward  along  the  shore.  The  great  profusion  of  the 
Meadow  Cranesbill  {Geranium  pratensc)  was  specially  noted,  and  though  it 
evidently  preferred  the  banks  and  roadsides  of  the  high  ground  over- 
looking the  bay,  plants  were  found  growing  among  the  loose  sands  of 
the  shore.  To  archaeologists  White  Park  Bay  is  a  well-known  and  fertile 
hunting-ground,  Bvery  gale  which  disturbs  the  shifting  sands  above 
tide-mark  reveals  a  fresh  portion  of  the  old  surface,  littered  with  rude 
flint  implements,  bones,  fragments  of  pottery,  and  cinders.  On  the  pre- 
sent occasion  the  greater  part  of  a  cinerary  urn  was  obtained,  and  a  large 
number  of  other  relics.  The  district  proved  poor  in  shells,  though  large 
numbers  of  a  limited  number  of  laud  shells  were  scattered  over  the 
strand.  The  machines  were  again  mounted  at  Ballintoy,  and  the  party 
drove  back  to  Ballycastle,  where  tea  was  in  waiting,  after  which  the 
judging  of  collections,  and  awarding  of  prizes  took  place,  and  the  party 
returned  by  the  5.55  train,  reaching  Belfast  at  nine  o'clock. 

May  28th. — The  first  excursion  of  the  Microscopical  Section  of  the 
club  took  place,  the  Bog  Meadows  being  the  locality  selected.  The 
weather  was  extremely  unfavourable,  and  there  was  consequently  a  small 
turn  out  of  members,  but  the  programme  was  carried  out  in  all  particu- 
lars, and  a  good  collection  of  fresh-water  material  obtained  for  subsequent 
examination. 


DUBININ   NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI^D   CI^UB. 

The  second  excursion  of  the  season  to  Brittas  and  the  Coronation 
Plantation  was  fixed  for  28th  May,  but,  on  account  of  violent  rain,  was 
postponed  until  4tli  June.  Unfortunately  the  weather  was  again  unpro- 
pitious ;  only  a  few  members  ventured  to  start,  and  these  were  forced  to 
return  before  the  appointed  time  without  having  done  much  collecting. 


ROYAI,  DUBININ  SOCIETY. 


APRiiy  20th.— At  this  meeting  Prof.  Haddon  communicated  a  paper  by 
Miss  Glascott  on  "Irish  Rotifera."  Many  species  are  recorded  for  the 
first  time  as  Irish,  of  which  twenty-five  are  described  as  new. 


8o  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

May  i8th. — At  this  meeting,  Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  gave  a  paper  on  the 
Pycnogonida  collected  in  Torres  Straits,  by  Prof.  Haddon. 

Mr.  H.  H.  Dixon  gave  a  paper  on  the  method  of  walking  among  some 
of  the  Arthropoda.  By  means  of  instantaneous  photographs,  Mr.  Dixon 
has  investigated  the  walking  of  several  insects  and  spiders.  He  finds 
that  the  limbs  move  together  in  diagonal  sets ;  in  insects  the  first  and 
third  legs  on  one  side  move  with  the  second  on  the  other;  in  spiders  the 
first  and  third  on  one  side  with  the  second  and  fourth  on  the  other. 
The  antenna  of  an  insect  is  moved  with  the  first  leg  on  the  same  side. 
In  larvae,  however,  as  well  as  in  the  thysanure  Tovwcerus,  the  limbs  on 
opposite  sides  move  together;  this  is  of  great  interest,  considering  that 
the  Thysanura  are  believed  to  represent  the  ancestral  type  of  insect. 
Some  spiders  appear  to  use  their  first  pair  of  legs  as  tactile  organs ;  this 
seems  to  show  the  origin  of  the  structural  modification  of  this  pair  of 
limbs  in  the  Pedipalpi.  The  three  limbs  of  the  insect,  or  the  four  of 
the  spider,  are  not  moved  all  together;  in  some  cases  the  hinder,  and  in 
others  the  foremost  being  first  raised  from  the  ground. 


NOTES. 


BOTANY. 

Ancient  Forests  of  IreI/AND. — Will  some  one  of  the  contributors  to 
the  Ii-ish  Naturalist  kindly  explain  the  climatic  conditions  under  which 
the  ancient  extinct  forests  of  Ireland  flourished,  and  also  state  how  long 
since  they  perished  }  I  think  it  would  be  interesting  to  know  why  it  is 
that  the  name,  in  Irish,  of  the  fir,  of  which  tree  the  forests  chiefly  con- 
sisted, is  not  used,  so  far  as  I  know,  in  the  names  of  Irish  places,  while 
the  names  of  the  ash,  the  oak,  the  birch,  the  elm,  the  3^ew,  etc.,  are  used. 
Is  the  explanation  this — that  the  fir  forests  perished  long  before  the 
country  w^as  inhabited  by  the  people  who  gave  the  present  names  to  the 
towndlands  .'*  The  fir  stumps  generally  rest  on  the  top  of  the  glacial 
gravel,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  present  bogs.  I  know  places  here  where 
the  stumps  are  laid  bare  by  the  sea,  and  where  the  bed  on  which  they 
grew  is  matted  with  their  interlacing  roots.  The  hardiest  shrub  could 
scarcely  be  got  to  keep  alive  now  in  that  situation.  In  one  of  the  fir 
stumps  I  counted  up  to  eighty  rings.  The  bark  in  many  instances  is 
well  preserved. — O.   Fallan,  Ardara,  Co.   Donegal. 

Fi,ORA  OF  THE  Arran  ISI.ANDS. — To  the  Journal  of  Botany  for  June, 
Messrs.  J.  B.  Nowers  and  J.  G.  Wells,  contribute  a  short  paper  on  this 
subject,  being  the  result  of  a  stay  of  a  fortnight  on  the  island  in  June, 
1890.  They  add  forty-one  species  to  the  known  flora,  of  which  the  rarer 
are  Erodium  niaritinium,  Trifolium  striatum,  Cuscuta  epithyiman,  Melampyruvi 
pratense  var.  latifolium,  Ophrys  apifera,  Typha  latifolia  var.  media,  Botrychiuni 
lunaria.  Ten  of  the  species  are  additions  to  the  flora  of  district  VI 
of  "Cybele  Hibernica."  They  record  the  appearance  on  all  three  islands 
oi  Senebicra  didyma,  a  plant  not  observed  by  Dr.  Wright  or  Mr.  Hart  on 
the  occasion  of  their  visits,  and  which  is  apparently  replacing  >S.  cornopus, 
and  a  valuable  confirmation  of  an  old  record  has  been  made  by  their  re- 
discovery of  Astragallus  /lypoglottis  in  its  only  Irish  station,  where  it  had 
not  been  seen  since  1834. 


MOSSES. 

Hypnum  filicinum  var.  vallisclansse,  Brid.  in  Irei<and. — Among 
some  mosses  that  I  received  at  the  beginning  of  May  from  Geashill, 
King's  County,  I  discovered  one  that  I  am  not  aware  of  having  hitherto 


Notes.  8 1 

been  found  in  Ireland,  and  which  Mr.  G.  A.  Holt  informs  me  is  llypnum 
filicinmn  var.  vallisclansce,  Brid.  It  was  collected  b}"  the  Rev.  Canon  C.  D. 
Russell,  M.A.,  in  a  spring  out  of  limestone  at  the  eskers,  near  the  village 
of  Geashill.  Mr.  Holt  writes  that  he  has  seen  many  forms  of  it  in  Derby- 
shire, where  he  says  it  is  "a  plant  not  uncommon  about  limestone  springs 
and  rivers."  Canon  Russell  found  but  a  small  quantit}^  in  his  locality. 
It  will,  doubtless,  be  discovered  in  other  similar  habitats.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  plant  is  more  like  an  attenuated  form  of  Ranniu7n  alofectirum 
than  H.  filicimun. — Rev.  H.  W.  Lett,  Aghaderg,  Co.  Down. 

Leucobryuni  gclaucuxn. — I  found  on  the  slopes  of  the  Slieve  Bloom 
Mountains  enormous  hassocks  of  this  moss,  some  of  them  a  yard  or  more 
broad,  and  nearly  two  feet  high,  but  all  obstinately  barren.  I  believe 
this  curious  moss  was  collected  in  a  fertile  state  near  Bantry,  Co.  Cork, 
by  Miss  Hutchins.  In  structure  it  is  highly  interesting,  the  stem  is 
composed  of  three  layers,  first  the  medulla,  in  which  some  of  the  cells 
are  remarkably  large,  outside  a  ring  of  olive-coloured  prosenchymatous, 
closely-placed  cells,  and  thirdly  a  cortical  layer  several  cells  in  thickness, 
similar  to  the  ground  tissue,  but  longer,  narrowing  outwards.  The  leaves 
are  ovate  lanceolate,  often  subulate,  with  a  well-marked  membraneous 
border  of  single  cells,  wide  at  the  base,  narrowing  gradually  to  the  apex ; 
inclining  inwards  from  the  border,  and  at  the  base,  the  leaf  becomes 
several  cells  thick,  showing  rectangular  cellules  with  well-marked  inter- 
cellular cavities  and  pores.  This  remarkable  structure  may  fulfil  in  some 
degree  the  functions  of  roots,  of  which  I  could  find  very  little  trace.  On 
dividing  one  of  these  hassocks,  the  annual  growths  could  be  seen  from 
the  apex  to  the  decayed  base,  and  as  these  subside  year  after  year,  their 
growth  must  have  been  continued  for  a  long  space  of  time  to  enable  them 
to  attain  to  such  dimensions. — D.  McArdle,  Glasnevin. 


ANGIOSPERMS. 

The  Lesser  Burnet,  Poterium  sanguisorba,  L.,  in  the  North  of 
IreI/AND. — This  plant,  newly  gathered  specimens  of  which  have  been 
submitted  for  verification  to  my  friend,  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  has  now,  for 
the  first  time,  been  satisfactoril}-  identified  as  a  North  of  Ireland  species. 
It  occurs  in  a  field  at  Glenmore,  near  Lisburn,  Co.  Antrim,  where  it 
grows  in  two  tolerably  large  patches,  a  very  short  distance  from  each 
other,  and  it  has  not  so  far  been  observed  in  any  of  the  neighbouring 
fields.  The  circumstance,  however,  of  the  grass  of  the  meadoAv  in  which 
it  is  found  being  periodically  cut  before  the  seeds  of  the  plant  are  mature, 
may,  very  probably,  account  for  its  restricted  area.  The  leaflets  of  the 
Glenmore  plant  differ  slightly  from  those  of  specimens  I  have  seen  from 
English  localities,  in  being  more  elongated,  and  in  showing  less  tendency 
towards  being  orbicular:  otherwise  there  seems  no  difference.  It  has 
quite  a  luxuriant  growth. 

According  to  the  "  Cybele  Hibernica  "  it  is  "not  found  in  the  North  of 
Ireland."  Recorded  in  Dr.  Dickie's  "Flora  of  Ulster,"  on  the  authority 
of  Dr.  Moore,  as  occurring  at  Ransh,  Rasharkin,  Co.  Antrim,  the  name 
was  afterwards  corrected  by  the  latter  to  Sangiiisorba  officinalis,  and  it  has, 
therefore,  been  excluded  by  Mr.  Stewart  from  his  recently  published 
"Flora  of  the  North-east  of  Ireland." 

My  friend,  Mr.  J.  G.  Baker,  F.R.S.  ("Flora  of  North  Yorkshire"),  re- 
gards  P.  sanguisoj'ba  as  a  typical  limestone  species,  having  a  geological 
distribution  similar  to  that  of  Neckcra  crispa,  Fortula  torttiosa,  and  Trichosto- 
muvi  flexicaule  amongst  the  mosses,  "often  growing  plentifully  in  the  d3's- 
geogenous  tracts,  but  otherwise  quite  rare."  The  Glenmore  station, 
however,  is  singular  in  that  limestone  is  absent,  the  underlying  strata 
being  of  the  new  red  sandstone  formation.  With  this  exception,  the 
Irish  distribution  of  the  Lesser  Burnet  confirms  what  has  been  stated  by 
Mr.  Baker.  On  the  very  dry  limestone  pavements  of  the  Aran  Islands, 
and  of  Blackhead  in  Clare,  and  in  Galway  it  is  plentiful.  It  occurs  also 
in  Cork,  Dublin,  Wicklow,  Kildare,  and  Queen's  County,  all  limestone 


82  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

regions.  The  station  of  Admiral  Jones,  Balh'shannon,  is  in  close  proxi- 
mity to  the  great  limestone  mountains  of  the  Ben  Bulben  range,  where 
all  the  mosses  cited  by  Mr.  Baker  are  to  be  found.  The  newly-discovered 
outlying  locality  for  the  plant  in  County  Antrim  is,  therefore,  remarkable 
in  respect  to  its  geological  character.— John  H.  Davies,  Lisburn. 

ZOOLOGY. 


INSECTS. 

Bih.ag'iiini  bifasciatum  in  Co.  Cork. — Two  specimens  of  this  beetle 
were  recently  sent  me  from  Timoleague  by  Miss  Donovan.  I  believe  the 
only  previous  obser^^er  who  has  found  this  "longhorn"  in  Co.  Cork  is 
Mr.  J.  M.  Browne.  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson  has  kindly  told  me  that  the 
other  Irish  localities  are  Powerscourt  and  Delgany  in  Co.  Wicklow,  and 
Newcastle,  Co.  Down.  We  may  expect  to  see  this  and  other  species 
increase  and  spread  with  the  planting  of  fir  woods. — G.  H.  Carpenter. 


AMPHIBIANS. 

The  Warty  Newt  (Molge  cristata)  in  Co.  Down.— I  have  found  a 
3'oung  Molge  among  some  broken  stones  in  a  dry  shady  area  on  the  north 
side  of  my  home.  The  walls  of  the  area  are  six  feet  deep,  and  there  was 
no  way  by  which  the  newt  once  in  the  area  could  get  out  again.  It  can- 
not have  got  much  to  eat,  which  may  account  for  its  starved  appearance. 

Two  of  the  same  species  were  got  in  the  same  place  last  autumn,  but 
one  was  smashed  by  my  man  for  fear  it  might  bite  him  !  The  old  absurd 
ideas  about  them  hold  fast  on  the  minds  of  the  uneducated.  I  see  that 
Thompson  sa3's  he  did  not  know  the  species,  though  Mr.  Templeton  had 
found  it  in  Ireland. — Rev.  H.  W.  Lett,  Aghaderg,  Co.  Down. 


BIRDS. 

WhinchaT  (Saxicola  rubetra)  in  Co.  S1.1GO. — I  have  observed  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Whinchats  in  the  vicinity  of  Ballymote,  and  on  June 
7th,  after  a  long  search,  I  found  a  nest  containing  four  half-Hedged  young. 
Col.  W.  G.  Wood-Martin,  in  his  "History  of  Sligo,"  does  not  include  the 
whinchat  in  his  avifauna ;  it  seems  strange  that  it  should  have  been  over- 
looked. I  have  neither  observed  the  Stonechat  nor  the  Wheatear  as  yet ; 
the  Whinchat  appears  quite  to  take  their  place  at  Ballymote. — H.  Lyster 
Jameson. 

Arrivai,  OF  Summer  Migrants. — The  following  dates  of  arrival  were 
observ^ed  here:  Maybird,  April  I3tli;  Corncrake,  April  24th;  Swallow  and 
Sand-Martin,  April  25th;  Swift,  May  lytli.— Joseph  M.  McBride,  Westport. 

The  Parrot-crossbii,e  (Loxia  curvirostra,  var.  pityopsittacus).— 
In  his  most  interesting  article  on  "The  Crossbill  in  Ireland"  {Irish  Nat. 
p.  31),  Mr.  R.  J.  LTssher  remarks  that  "The  Parrot-crossbill  {xSiV.  pilyopsit- 
taais)  was  not  recognised  in  Ireland  until  January,  18S9  {Zoologist,  1889, 
p.  181)."  About  the  year  1862  (I  think),  when  I  was  a  school-boy  home 
for  the  Christmas  holida5'S,  I  shot  a  Crossbill  at  Kilderry  in  this  county, 
which  I  believe  to  have  been  of  that  variety.  It  was  taken  to  England 
for  preser%^ation,  but,  unfortunately,  with  so  little  sviccess,  that  the  spe- 
cimen fell  to  pieces  in  less  than  a  year.  Its  beauty  made  an  impression 
on  ni}'  mind  that  has  not  wholly  faded  even  now.— W.  E.  Hart,  Falmore, 
Carrowmena,  Co.  Donegal. 

Woodpecker  in  Irei<and. — It  is  not  very  generally  known  that 
Woodpeckers  are  seen  or  heard,  at  times,  in  Ireland.  Sportsmen  have 
told  me  that  they  have  heard  tapping,  as  if  against  trees,  in  silent  woods, 
in  Queen's  County  and  Co.  Wexford.  About  last  February,  one  year  ago. 
the  above-mentioned  tapping  was  heard,  and  a  bird  was  shot  in  Co. 
Kildare.— W.  Council,  Carlow. 


Notes.  S3 

[From  a  description  furnished  by  Mr.  W.  Connell,  this  bird  was,  no 
doubt,  a  Greater-spotted  Woodpecker  {Dendrocopus  major),  which  oc- 
casionally appears  as  a  rare  visitor  to  Ireland  in  late  autumn,  but  has 
never  been  found  breeding  in  this  country.  The  Green  and  the  Lesser- 
spotted  Woodpeckers  have  also  been  found,  but  only  three  or  four  times 
in  Ireland,  and  they  are  far  more  scarce  with  us  than  the  Greater-spotted 
Woodpecker. — A.  G.  More.] 

GoIvDe;n  Eagi,e  (Aquila  chrysaetus)  in  Co.  Gai^way. — On  the  24th  of 
April  I  received  a  very  fine  specimen  of  this  noble  bird  obtained  in  the 
vicinity  of  Leenane,  Co.  Galway.  It  was  shot  while  devouring  a  lamb, 
and  was  exceedingly  fat,  measuring  seven  feet  from  tip-to-tip  of  wings, 
and  three  feet  from  beak  to  tail.  Mr.  Ussher  informs  me  they  have  bred 
during  the  last  few  years  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  where  this  bird 
was  obtained. — Edward  Williams,  Dublin. 

The  Sandgrouse  (Syrrhaptes  paradoxus)  at  PorTmarnock. — In 
a  conversation  with  Mr.  Rielly,  the  gamekeeper  in  charge  of  the  rabbit- 
warren  at  Portmarnock,  near  Dublin,  he  informed  me  that  in  the  spring 
of  1888  a  covey  of  Sandgrouse  consisting  of  fifteen  birds  took  up  their 
residence,  and  remained  for  about  six  weeks  on  the  Portmarnock  sand- 
hills, where  they  were  strictly  protected  by  orders  of  the  agent.  Captain 
Thompson,  in  the  hope  that  they  might  remain  and  breed.  In  this, 
however,  he  was  disapjjointed,  as  the  birds  all  left  by  the  end  of  June; 
but  while  on  the  sandhills,  they  used  to  gather  in  the  centre  of  a  large 
pasture  field  to  spend  the  night.— Edward  Williams,  Dublin. 

FoRK-TAii,ED  PETREiy  (Oceanodroina  leucorrhoa,  Vieillot)  in  Co. 
Antrim. — Mr.  Sheals,  the  Belfast  taxidermist,  has  drawn  my  attention  to 
a  Fork-tailed  Petrel  recently  sent  to  him.  It  was  picked  up  near  Ballin- 
derry,  at  the  south-eastern  shore  of  Lough  Neagh,  on  the  27th  April 
last,  and  had  evidently  been  dead  a  few  days.  It  was  a  mature  male  in 
good  plumage,  and  its  occurrence  in  Co.  Antrim  at  this  date  is  interest- 
ing. It  would  be  strange  if  a  single  bird  would  wander  so  far  inland, 
and  I  would  be  glad  to  know  if  other  occurrences  have  been  noted. — 
Robert  Patterson,  Belfast. 

Fui^MAR  (Pulmarus  g-lacialis)  in  Co.  DonKGai,. — On  May  19th  I 
picked  up  on  the  sands  between  Ballyshannon  and  Bundoran,  a  specimen 
of  this  bird  in  a  recent  state.  I  believe  this  is  an  unusual  time  of  year  for 
it  to  occur. — H.  Lyster  Jameson. 

Ivory  Gui.1,  (Larus  eburneus)  in  Dubinin. — In  the  Zoologist  for  June, 
Messrs.  E.  G.  Waddilove  and  S.  V.  Cooke  write  that  on  the  19th  April 
last  they  saw  an  Ivory  Gull  feeding  with  common  and  black-headed 
gulls  on  the  garbage  of  the  Liffej^,  just  above  Grattan  Bridge,  in  Dublin. 


MAMMALS. 

The  Marten  (IVEustela  martes)  in  Co.  Wexford. — A  specimen  of 
this  rare  animal  was  taken  on  May  ist  at  Coolbawn,  in  the  Co.  Wexford, 
by  my  friend  Mr.  Arthur  Ruttledge.  This  capture  is  most  interesting, 
and  sets  at  rest  for  the  present  all  doubts  as  to  the  survival  of  the  Marten 
in  that  part  of  Ireland.     It  is  now  nine  or  ten  3-ears  since  I  last  heard  of 

marten  being  taken  in  the  county,  and  that  one  (which  was  caught  in 
a  trap  at  Ballyhyland)  was  released  without  having  been  authenticated. 
There  is,  however,  pretty  strong  circumstantial  evidence  that  it  was  an 
actual  marten.  The  most  fortunate  feature  in  Mr.  Ruttledge's  capture  is 
that  his  specimen  is  a  young  one,  and  there  is,  therefore,  every  prospect 
of  its  long  continuing  an  object  of  interest  to  visitors  to  the  Zoological 
Gardens, — the  home  to  which  Mr.  Ruttledge  has  consigned  it, — where 
naturalists  will  be  glad  to  learn  that  it  is  now  to  be  seen  in  cage  facing 
one  of  the  entrances  to  the  monkej^-house,  apparently  none  the  worse 
for  its  passing  acquaintance  with  the  jaws  of  a  rabbit-trap.— C.  B.  Moffat, 
Ballyhyland,  Co.  Wexford. 


84  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

GBOLOGY. 

Perforations  in  Carboniferous  IvImestone. — I  have  seen  the 
perforated  limestone  described  by  Rev.  Mr.  Close  in  situ  on  the  shores 
of  Lough  Corrib,  near  Oughterard.  So  far  as  I  could  observe,  the  holes 
were  perpendicular  to  the  exposed  surface,  but  this  would  not  necessarily 
mean  that  they  were  at  right  angles  to  the  bedding.  I  was  anxious  to 
ascertain  the  true  cause  of  these  holes,  and  for  this  purpose  I  visited  the 
Geological  Museum  of  Queen's  College,  Galway,  There  I  saw  a  good 
specimen  described  as  an  "example  of  the  chemical  and  mechanical 
action  of  water  on  limestone."  This  was  in  Professor  King's  time,  and  I 
am  sure  he  was  satisfied  before  attaching  the  descriptive  note  to  the 
specimen. — O.  Fallon,  Ardara,  Co.  Donegal. 

I  forward  a  specimen  of  perforated  limestone,  much  of  which  has  been 
turned  up  by  the  blasting  operations  carried  on  by  the  harbour  authori- 
ties in  the  bed  of  the  river  here.  The  rock  is  from  two  to  four  feet  under 
low  water  at  spring  tides,  but  the  perforated  stone  seems  to  come  from 
about  two  feet  below  the  upper  strata  of  rock. — Joseph  M.  McBride, 
Westport. 

The  geological  notes  on  Limestone  perforations  in  this  and  last  issue 
considerably  interest  me.  Personally  I  had  always  considered  such  as 
due  to  aqueous  action.  A  few  years  back  I  remember  coming  on  such 
indentations  upon  smooth  exposed  Limestone  Rocks,  Queen's  Co.  To  the 
best  of  my  recollection  the  holes  varied  from  a  little  less  than  three- 
quarter  inch  to  one  and  a-half  inches  in  diameter,  and  from  two  inches 
to  four  inches  in  depth.  In  all  cases  they  were  perfectly  round,  gently 
tapering  towards  the  bottom.  Their  circularity  is  a  necessity  of  aqueous 
action,  their  tapering  can  hardly  be  explained  by  it,  while  their  varying 
diameters  and  depths  suggest  forces  of  greater  or  lessmagnitude — possibly 
molluscs  of  different  sizes }  Varying  depth  cannot  be  explained  by 
action  of  water,  for,  if  due  to  denudation,  the  holes  should  regularly 
decrease  or  increase  in  depth  a  uniform  series — or  at  least  more  uni- 
formly than  they  do, — T.  H.  Walpole,  Dublin. 

I  have  much  pleasure  in  forwarding  for  inspection  a  fragment  of  the 
perforated  limestone.  I  believe  that  when  these  perforations  are  ex- 
amined, there  will  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  formed  by  a  mussel  or 
other  organised  being,  whose  work  is  quite  distinct  from  any  effect  which 
could  be  produced  by  inanimate  agency.  When  speculating  on  what 
caused  these  curious  holes,  I  certainly  thought  of  the  weathering  action 
of  water,  etc.,  but  I  had  very  soon  to  abandon  this  view  for  the  following 
reasons  among  others: — Firstly,  there  is  too  much  of  a  "family  likeness" 
about  these  holes  for  me  to  believe  that  they  were  produced  otherwise 
than  by  an  animal;  secondly,  though  the  rock  is  wrinkled,  scored,  and 
bored  by  the  tooth  of  time,  it  is  easy  to  distinguish  the  work  of  the  intel- 
ligent little  creature  from  the  ordinary  denudation  of  the  stone;  and 
thirdly,  the  holes  are  confined  to  a  foot  or  two  at  the  top  of  the  stone,  as 
if  the  animal  could  onl}'  live  and  work  at  a  certain  depth  of  water ;  per- 
haps the  lower  part  of  the  stone  was  protected  by  some  deposit  of  mud, 
but  the  scratching  and  weathering  extend  there. 

For  these  reasons  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  strange 
perforations  can  only  have  been  formed  by  some  animal  living  in  the- dis- 
tant past,  as  the  boring-mussel  of  the  present  day  is  known  to  produce 
similar  work,  but  perhaps  on  a  lesser  scale. 

In  answer  to  Mr.  Close's  question,  I  should  say  that  the  perforations  do 
not  seem  to  follow  any  set  rule;  the  stone  appears  to  have  been  attacked 
in  all  directions.  The  only  rule  which  seems  to  prevail  is  that  where  the 
holes  enter  the  stone  horizontally,  they  always  turn  upwards  soon  after 
entry. — Owen  Smith,  Nobber,  Co.  Meath. 

[We  acknowledge  with  many  thanks  the  receipt  of  specimens  from 
Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  McBride,  and  hope  to  return  to  this  interesting  sub- 
ject in  our  next  number. — Kds.] 


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Vol..  I.  AUGUST,  1892.  No.  5. 

THE  BIRDS  OF  RATHI.IN  ISI.AND,  CO.  ANTRIM. 

BY  ROBKRT    PATTERSON,   M.B.O.U. 


( Concluded  from  page  73 . ) 

*^§rialitis  hiaticula,  L. — Ringed  Pi^ovkr.  Often  seen  about  the  strand 
and  rocks.  An  unfledged  bird  was  found  in  July,  1874,  and  I  observed 
a  pair  in  June,  1889,  evidently  nesting. 

Charadrius  pluvialus,  L.— GoIvDe;n  Pi^over.     Frequents  the  beach  in 
hard  winters. 
*Vanellus  vulgaris,  Bechst. — IvAPWIng.     Common  in  summer  on  the 
bogs,  where  it  breeds  ;  not  so  numerous  in  winter. 

Strepsilas  interpres,  Iv. — Turnstone.     Frequently  seen,  both  in  win- 
ter and  summer  plumage. 
*Hseniatopus  ostralegns,  Iv. — Oyster-catcher.     A  few  pairs  are  per- 
manently resident,  and  breed  in  several  places  along  the  shore. 

Fhalaropus  fulicarius,  L. — Grey  Phai^arope.  Has  been  occasionally 
seen  swimming  in  Church  Bay,  and  specimens  have  been  shot. 

Scolopax  rusticula,  L. — Woodcock.     Only  seen  in  severe  weather; 
has  been  several  times  shot  in  winter. 
*Gallmago  coelestis,  Frenzel. — Common  Snipe.    Abundant  in  all  the 
bogs,  where  it  breeds. 

G.  gallinula,  L. — Jack  Snipe.  Fairly  common  in  winter,  and  observed 
by  the  light-keepers  as  sometimes  striking  against  the  lantern. 

Tringa  alpina,  Iv. — Duni^in.  Frequent  on  the  reefy  shores  about 
Church  Bay  in  spring  and  summer.  One  in  the  late  Mr.  Gage's  col- 
lection is  in  full  breeding  plumage,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if 
this  species  were  found  breeding  on  the  island. 

T.  striata,  Iv. — Purpi^E  Sandpiper.  Seen  every  winter  in  limited 
numbers. 

T.  canutus,  L. — Knot.     Sometimes  seen,  but  not  at  all  common. 

Calidris  arenaria,  L. — Sanderi^inG.     Has  once  occurred,  a  specimen 
being  shot  in  Church  Ba}^  2nd  March,^i862. 
*Totanus  hypoleucus,  L. — Common  Sandpiper.    Breeds  in  small  num- 
bers on  the  island. 

T.  calidris,  Common  Redshank.  Frequent  in  winter;  one  was  shot 
in  August,  1844. 

Numenius  arquata,  ly. — Curt^EW.  Frequent  along  the  shore  in  winter 
and  spring.  ^ 

N.  phaeopus,  L. — Whimbrei,.      Seen  in  small  numbers  every  spring. 

Sterna  dougalli,  Montagu. — Roseate  Tern.  Sometimes  seen,  but 
not  nearly  so  frequently  of  late  years.  A  fine  specimen  was  shot  in 
March,  1841, — a  very  remarkable  date. 

S.  fluviatilis,  Naumann — Common  Tern.  Often  seen  in  summer 
along  the  shore. 

A 


66  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

S.  macrura,  Naumann — Arctic  Tern.  As  the  preceding,  but  not 
so  numerous.     One  was  caught  alive  in  a  field,  October,  iS6o. 

Larus  ridibundus,  Iv. — Bi,ack-heade;d  Guiyi,.  In  winter  months  this 
gull  is  found  in  great  numbers,  but  is  never  seen  in  summer. 

L.  canus,  Iv. — Common  Gui^i,.     Very  rarely  seen ;  a  bird  in  first  year's 
plumage  was  shot  in  January,  i860. 
*L.    argentatus,  Gmelin — Herring-Gui.1,.     Very  common,  and  breeds 

in  large  numbers. 
*L.  fuscus,  L.— Lesser  Bi.ack-backed  Gui,i<.     A  few  pairs  breed  at  the 
north  side  of  the  island  every  year. 

L.  marinus,  L.— Great  Bi,ack-backed  Gui,!,.  Occasionally  seen  in 
winter,  and  specimens  have  been  shot. 

L.  glaucus,  Fab. — Gi^aucous  Gui.1,.  An  immature  bird  was  shot  in 
Februar}',  1867,  and  another  in  February,  1869.  Since  then  they  have 
been  occasionally  seen.  A  fine  adult  bird,  in  beautiful  plumage,  was 
caught  alive  in  a  net,  9th  October,  1891. 
*Itissa  tridactyla,  L. — Kittiwake  Gui^i,.  Immense  numbers  breed  at 
the  Bull  Rock  and  at  the  north  side. 

Stercorarius  pomatorhinus  Tenim. — Pomatorhine  Skua. — Not  un- 
commonly seen  on  the  pasture  lands  in  autumn  and  winter.  An 
immature  bird  was  captured  alive  in  a  field,  22nd  October,  1891. 

S.  crepidatus,  Gmelin — Richardson's  Skua.  Young  birds  are  fre- 
quently seen,  and  have  been  shot.  An  adult  was  captured  alive  in 
September,  1886. 

S.  parasiticus,  L. — Buffon'S  Skua.  A  fine  specimen  in  perfect 
plumage  was  taken  alive  at  Ballygill,  in  May,  i860.  Three  others 
were  seen  at  the  same  time. 

(Countless   numbers    of  both 
species  breed  on  the  west- 
ern and  northern  cliffs  every 
year.     The  variety   known 
as  the  Ringed  Guillemot  is 
very  common. 
*U.  grylle,  L. — Black  Guii,i<EM0T.     Breeds  in  moderate  numbers  on 
the  cliffs,  and  remains  all  the  year. 
Mergnlus  alle,  Iv. — LiTTi^E  Auk.     Occasionally  seen.     In  December, 
1862,  three  were  picked  up  dead.     One  was  caught  alive  on  the  high 
road  in  January,  1863,  and  since  then  a  few  have  been  found  dead  on 
the  beach  at  interv^als. 
*Pratercula   arctica,  L. — Puffin.      Breeds  in  large  numbers  on   the 
grassy  slopes,  usually  arriving  about  17th  March. 
Colymbus  glacialis,  L. — Great  Northern  Diver.     Occasionally  seen 
in  Church  Bay,  and  has  been  shot  in  summer  plumage.     Two  were 
seen  in  June,  1885. 
C.   septentrionalis,    L. — Red-ThroaTED    Diver.       Sometimes    seen. 

One  was  shot  on  Ushet  Lough  in  the  winter  of  1868. 
Fodicipes  auritus,  L. — Sci^avonian  Grebe.     Has  once  occurred,  in 
December,  1871. 
*P.  fluviatilis,  Tunstall.— L1TT1.E  Grebe.     Common  in  the  marshes, 
where  it  breeds. 
Fulniarus  glacialis,  L. — Fuxmar  Petrei^.     The  only  specimen  seen 
was  captured  alive  on  the  rocks  near  the  lighthouse,  2nd  September, 
1889.     It  was  an  adult  in  good  plumage. 
*Puffinus  angloruui,  Temm.— Manx  Shearwater.     Common  on  the 
north  side  of  the  island,  where  it  breeds. 
Cymocliorea  leucorrlioa,  Vie^lot— Fork-Taii,ed  Petrei,.     After  the 
storms  of  November,  1881,  and  October,  1891,  several  specimens  were 
picked  up  dead  on  the  beach. 
Procellaria  pelagica,  L.— Storm  Petrei..     Often  seen  flying  over  the 
sea,  and  is  commonly  found  on  the  beach  after  storms.      It  is  said  by 
the  light-keepers  to  breed  on  the  island,  but  Mr.  Gage  never  found 
it,  and  I  think  it  has  been  confused  with  the  Manx  Shearwater. 


[87  ] 
THK  IRISH  I,AND  AND  FRESHWATER  MOI<I.USCA. 

BY  R.  P.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 
( Contimted from  page  67. ) 

GASTROPODA. 
P  U  L  M  0  N  A  T  A  , 


Gejnus— ARION". 

Arion  ater,  ly. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This,  the  most,  variable  of  our  slugs,  occurs  everywhere  in  Ireland. 
Fore;ign  Distribution. — The  greater  part  of  Europe. 

Arion  subfuscus,  Drap. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.    —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

As  I  have  already  pointed  out  (13),  there  are  two  very  distinct  varieties 
in  Ireland,  the  one  chiefly  occurs  in  hilly  districts,  and  the  other  in  the 
plain.  Thompson  (15)  mistook  this  form  for  a  variety  of  A.  ater,  to 
which  it  certainly  bears  a  strong  resemblance. 

Mr.  Campbell  and  Mr.  J.  N.  Milne  have  recently  discovered  this  species 
near  Londonderry. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain  and  Continental  Europe,  ex- 
cept Spain  and  Portugal. 

Arion  hortensis,  Fer. 
I.     II.    —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.    --    XI.     XII. 

This  species  was  not  known  to  Thompson  from  the  North  of  Ireland, 
but  Mr.  Praeger  and  myself  recently  found  a  specimen  at  Cultra,  Co. 
Down.  Near  Dublin  it  is  common  enough  in  two  distinct  varieties, 
and  I  have  also  taken  it  on  the  Aran  Islands.  Miss  Warren  has  sent  me 
specimens  from  Co.  Sligo,  and  Messrs.  Taylor  and  Roebuck  (14)  record  it 
from  Co.  Waterford. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  western  and  central  Ger- 
many, France,  and  Italy. 

Arion  circumscriptus,  Johnst. 
I.     II.    —    IV.    V.    —    VII.    VIII.     IX.    —    XI.    XII. 

Mr.  Collinge  has  pointed  out  to  me  that  A.  circumscriptus,  a  name  pro- 
posed by  Dr.  Johnston  [Edin.  New  Philos.  Journal,  1828),  should  be 
substituted  for  A.  bourguignati,  the  more  recent  name  of  Mabille.  This  is 
a  much  rarer  slug  than  the  last,  and  it  has  often  been  mistaken  for  it, 
but  the  white  foot  is  a  characteristic.  Miss  Warren  obtained  it  in  Sligo, 
and  Mr.  J.  N.  Milne  near  Londonderry. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany,  Switzerland, 
northern  Italy,  France,  and  Norway. 

Arion  intermedins,  Normand. 

L    —    —    IV.    V.    —    —    VIII.     IX.    —    XI.    XII. 

I  have  taken  this  species  abundantly  at  Raheny,  near  Dublin,  but  it  is 
apparently  rare  in  other  counties,  where  I  never  met  with  more  than  an 

6 


88  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

occasional  specimen.     A  dark  lead-coloured  specimen  was  obtained  by 
the  Rev.  A.  H.  Delap  near  Lough  Caragh,  Co.  Kerry. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany,  northern  Italy, 
Switzerland,  France,  Norway,  and  the  Azores.  In  New  Zealand  it  also 
occurs,  but  has  probably  been  introduced. 

Genus— GEOMALACUS. 

Geomalacus  maculosus,  Allman. 
I.     II.    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 


This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  land  molluscs.  It  has  only  been 
found  among  the  lichens  covering  the  huge  boulders  and  rocks  in  the 
counties  of  Kerry  and  Cork,  where  however,  owing  to  its  close  re- 
semblance to  the  plants  it  lives  on,  it  is  not  easily  discovered. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Absent  from  Great  Britain  and  the  Con- 
tinent of  Europe,  except  northern  Portugal,  and  the  north-west  of 
Spain. 

Genus— TESTACELLA. 

Testacella  maugei,  Fer. 

This  is  undoubtedly  a  native,  and  has  not  been  introduced.  Messrs. 
Taylor  and  Roebuck  (14)  record  its  occurrence  in  Waterford,  and  I  have 
had  a  number  of  specimens  sent  to  me  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Moore  from  the 
Royal  Botanic  Gardens,  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — South-west  England  and  Wales,  western 
France,   Portugal,  Morocco,  Azores,   Madeira,  and  Canaries. 

Testacella  haliotidea,  F.  Big. 
I.    II.    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 


The  occurrence  of  this  species  in  the  south  of  Ireland  at  Youghal, 
Co.  Cork,  has  been  known  for  a  great  many  years,  and  it  is  also  said  to 
occur  near  Cork  and  at  Bandon. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  central  and  southern  France, 
Corsica,  Sicily,  Italy }  Madeira  1  Gibraltar  } 

Testacella  scutulum,  Sow. 

The  claims  of  this  form  to  rank  as  a  distinct  species  has  been  clearly 
demonstrated  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor  {Jomn.  of  Conch.,  v.),  and  although 
it  seems  to  have  a  somewhat  more  eastern  range  than  the  other  two, 
specimens  from  Co.  Louth  were  sent  to  me  by  Miss  S.  Smith,  and 
from  Waterford  by  Mr.  Garnett,  junr. 

F'OREiGN  Distribution. — England  and  Scotland  (chiefly  east  and 
south),  Channel  Isles,  France,  southern  Spain?  Italy.? 

Genus  — LIMAX. 

Limaa:  maximus,  L. 

I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XL     XII. 

Almost  all  the  specimens  I  have  met  with  belong  to  the  variety  ciner- 
reus,  the  variety  cinereo-niger  being  extremely  rare.  It  seems  to  be  a 
fairly  common  species  in  most  parts  of  the  country. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Germany,  Aus- 
tria, Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily,  Corsica,  Spain,  Portugal,  Azores,  Algiers, 
and  east  coast  of  North  America  (introduced }). 


The  Irish  Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca.  89, 

Limas:  flavus,  L- 

I.     II.    —    IV.    V.    —    —    —    IX.    —    XI.    — 

Although  abundant  in  Dublin  cellars,  this  species  has  very  rarely  oc- 
curred to  me  in  the  country,  and  I  have  never  met  it  on  the  west  coast. 
Thompson  (16)  recorded  it  from  the  north,  Messrs.  Taylor  and  Roebuck 
(14)  from  Waterford  and  Cork,  and  Mr.  Barrett-Hamilton  sent  me  speci- 
mens from  Wexford. 

FoRKiGN  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  throughout  Continental 
Europe,  Asia  Minor,  Algiers,  Sicily,  Sardinia,  Azores,  occurs  also  in 
many  localities  on  the  east  coast  of  North  America  and  Brazil,  as  well  as 
in  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  but  it  is  believed  to  have  been  introduced 
into  these  regions. 

Limax  marginatus,  Miiller. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.    VI.     VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.    XII. 

The  older  name  has  been  retained  here,  although  in  most  of  the  British 
works  this  species  is  described  as  Z,  arborum  (Bouch.-Ch.)  It  is  one  of  the 
commonest  of  our  slugs,  especially  on  the  west  coast,  where  it  associates 
with  Geonialacus  maculosus.  It_  occurs  also  on  the  Skellig  rock  and  the 
Aran  Islands. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain  (including  Shetland  Islands 
and  Faroe  Island),  Scandinavia,  Germany,  Austria,  France,  Italy,  Sicily, 
Spain,  Portugal,  and  the  Canary  Islands. 

Genus— AGRIOLIM  AX. 

Agriolimax  agrestis,  L. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     —    VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This  slug  is  extremely  common  ever5rwhere  in  Ireland.  It  varies  con- 
siderably in  colour  from  pure  yellowish-white  to  chocolate-brown.  A 
bluish  form  has  also  been  taken. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great '  Britain  and  throughout  continental 
Europe,  Asia  Minor,  Persia,  Siberia,  Japan,  Iceland,  the  Azores,  Canary 
Islands,  Madeira,  Morocco,  and  Greenland.  It  has  probably  been  intro- 
duced on  the  east  coast  of  N.  America,  in  Brazil,  South  Africa,  and  New 
Zealand. 

Agriolimax  laevis,  Miiller. 

I.    —    —    IV.    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     _    —    XI.     — 

This  is  one  of  our  rarest  slugs.  It  was  first  discovered  by  Mr.  H.  B. 
Rathborne  in  the  Dublin  mountains,  and  I  have  since  met  with  it  in 
Connemara,  Killarney,  Glengariff,  Greystones,  and  in  Knockdrin  de- 
mesne, near  Mullingar.  Mr.  J.  N.  Milne  has  sent  it  to  me  from  Culmore, 
near  Londonderry. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain  and  throughout  continental 
Europe.     A  closely  allied  species,  A.  campesiris,  is  found  in  N.  America. 

Genus— AMALIA. 
Amalia  Sowerbyi,  Fer. 

I.     II.    —    IV.     V.     —    —    VIII.     IX.     —    XI.     XII. 

When  I  referred  to  this  species  on  a  previous  occasion  (12),  I  believed 
A.  carinata.  Leach,  was  the  correct  name,  but  as  Mr.  E.  Collinge  pointed 
out  to  me.  Leach's  work  was  not  for  sale  until  many  years  after  Ferussac 
had  published  a  description  of  the  species. 

In  Dublin  this  species  is  very  common,  but  in  the  north  it  seems  to  be 
much  rarer,  as  Thompson  does  not  record  it.  It  has  only  recently  been 
obtained  in  Antrim  (17),  and  by  Mr.  J.  N.  Milne,  near  Londonderry. 


90  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Foreign  Distribution. — This  is  a  typically  southern  species,  occur- 
ring besides  Great  Britain,  only  in  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy,  and 
Greece  (where  it  is  known  as  A.  carinata,  Rissoj. 

Amalia  gagates,  Drap. 
I.     —    III.    IV.    V.     —    —    VIII.     IX.    —    XI.    XII. 

In  some  parts  on  the  west  coast  this  species  is  more  common  than  the 
last,  but  about  Dublin  it  is  decidedly  rare.  Mr.  Praeger  has  found  several 
specimens  at  Cultra,  Co.  Down,  being  the  first  record  for  that  county. 
There  are  two  very  distinct  varieties  in  Ireland,  one  of  which  is  tan- 
coloured  and  the  other  dark  lead. 

Foreign  Distribution. — It  is  widely  distributed,  ranging  over  Great 
Britain,  Belgium,  Holland,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Sicily,  Sardinia, 
Eg3^pt,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Madeira,  St.  Helena,  Ascension,  S.  Africa,  (?) 
California, (?)  Bermuda,  and  Brazil  (possibly  introduced). 

(TO   BE   CONTINUED.) 


COUNTY   DUBLIN,    PAST   AND    PRESENT. 

BY  PROF.   GRKNVII.I,K  A.  J.   COIvE,   F.G.S. 


{Concluded from  page  76.) 


V. — From  Past  to  Presfnt. 

An  enormous  interval  of  time  remains  unrepresented  in  the 
deposits  of  the  County  of  Dublin.  Earth-movements  at  the 
close  of  the  Carboniferous  Period  raised  a  great  part  of  Ireland 
into  dry  land,  uptilting  and  crumbling  the  shales  and  lime- 
stones, and  again  bringing  the  old  rocks  within  reach  of 
denuding  forces.  The  form  of  the  county  must  have  then  been 
far  different  to  what  it  is  at  present ;  Howth  and  the  Granite 
Chain,  for  instance,  may  have  only  in  later  times  emerged  from 
their  covering  of  Upper  Carboniferous  strata ;  and  in  all 
probability  the  best  representative  of  this  area  as  it  appeared 
at  the  opening  of  the  Mesozoic  era  is  to  be  found  at  the  present 
time  in  the  high  table-lands  of  Yorkshire  and  the  Peak. 

The  old  order  meanwhile  passed  away ;  the  ancient  life-forms, 
trilobites  and  the  rest,  gave  place  to  animals  more  clearly 
allied  to  those  of  modern  times.  The  north-east  of  Ireland, 
from  Lurgan  to  Rathlin  Island  and  from  Larne  to  Lough 
Foyle,  bears  record  of  the  faunas  of  Mesozoic  times.  There  the 
Jurassic  and  the  Chalk  beds  were  laid  down  in  successive  seas ; 
but  we  have  no  evidence  as  to  how  far  this  stibsidence  affected 
southern  Ireland.  When  we  consider  how  these  soft  strata  are 
seen  in  Co.  Antrim,  as  in  the  Hebrides,  only  as  an  edging 
peeping  out  from  beneath  ertiptive  masses,  which  have  flowed 
over  and  preserved  them,  we  may  reasonably  presume  that  they 
formerly  extended  over  far  wider  areas,  where  conditions 
proved  unfavourable  for  their  presentation.  In  this  way  the 
thick  flint-gravels  in  eastern  Devon  show  how  the  Upper  Cre- 


Cou7ity  D2ibli7i,  Past  ayid  Presertt.  91 

taceous  beds  formerly  extended  farther  west ;  and  we  have  no 
proof  that  the  sea  in  which  they  were  deposited  did  not  flow 
along  the  south  of  Wales  and  away  into  south-central  Ireland. 
Similarly,  the  Antrim  chalk  may  have  had  a  verj^  wide  exten- 
sion. A  shore-line  was  undoubtedly  near  in  the  north  and 
west;  but,  so  far  as  Co.  Dublin  is  concerned,  it  is  open  to 
anyone  to  assert  that  the  uptilted  Carboniferous  masses  again 
sank  beneath  Mesozoic  seas,  and  were  again  uplifted  and  ex- 
posed to  denudation  during  the  volcanic  period  that  intro- 
duced the  Tertiary  era. 

Both  the  Mesozoic  and  Cainozoic  (Tertiary)  eras  are,  in  fact, 
almost  a  blank  in  southern  and  central  Ireland ;  and  we  pass 
directly  from  the  Carboniferous  period  to  some  of  the  most 
recent  deposits  with  which  the  geologist  has  to  deal. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Dodder  and  its  tributaries,  or  on  the 
east  of  the  Sutton  strand,  or  at  the  top  of  the  quarries  near 
Finglas,  to  mention  no  other  sections,  coarse  gravelly  mate- 
rials, often  roughly  stratified,  are  seen  to  form  the  present 
covering  of  the  country.  They  fill  the  hollows  worn  pre- 
viously in  the  old  hard  rocks,  and  lie  unconformably  across 
Carboniferous,  Ordovician,  or  the  slates  of  Howth  and  Bray. 
In  some  of  these  loose  deposits  marine  shells  may  be  found,  of 
species  still  inhabiting  the  Irish  seas  or  slightlj^  more  northern 
waters.'  The  once  famous  section  at  Killiney  has  been  much 
affected  by  the  railway^  and  by  vegetation ;  but  similar  beds 
form  the  shore-line  south  of  Bray  Head,  being  finely  exposed 
between  that  point  and  Greystones.  Where  the  shells  are  in 
fair  condition  and  the  deposit  fringes  the  present  coast,  we 
may  expect  it  to  be  a  *'  raised  beach,"  the  evidence  of  the  last 
elevatory  movements  of  the  district.  The  officers  of  the  Geo- 
logical Survey  thus  state  that  *'  the  gravel  terrace  of  Sandy- 
mount  and  Merrion  is  probably  the  most  southern  remnant  of 
the  raised  beach.  Along  the  valley  of  the  Liffey  it  merges 
into  the  alluvium  of  that  river,  forming  the  level  ground  occu- 
pied by  the  buildings  of  the  University  of  Dublin,  of  Dame- 
street,  Sackville-street,  and  the  north-eastern  suburbs  of  the 
city."  3 

But  when  recent  marine  shells  are  found  at  far  greater 
heights  above  the  sea,  in  the  sands  and  gravels  of  the  moun- 
tains themselves,  it  is  clear  that  we  are  dealing  with  a  different 
order  of  deposits.      Dr.  Scouler^  at   an   early  date   recorded 

^  See  T.  Oldham,  "  On  the  more  recent  geological  deposits  in  Ireland," 
G.  S.  D.,  iii.  (1844-5),  66,  69,  and  131;  J.  R.  Kinahan,  "Drift  Fossils  from 
Bohernabreena,"  G.  S  D.,  viii.  (1858),  p.  87. 

2  See  warning  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Kinahan,  G.  S.  /.,  iv.,  118.  Also  for  very 
valuable  comments  as  to  the  relative  ages  of  loose  drifts,  "  On  the 
classification  of  boulder-clays  and  gravels,"  G.  S./.,  vi.,  270,  by  the  same 
author. 

3  Memoir  to  sheets  102  and  112,  2nd  edit.,  p.  70. 

^"  Elevated  hills  of  Gravel  containing  Marine  Shells,  in  the  County  of 
Dublin."     G.  S.  D.,  I  (1838),  275. 


92  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

shelly  sands  at  a  height  of  90  ft.  above  the  sea  at  Howth  and 
150ft.  at  Bray;  the  shells  at  Finglas  are  at  200  ft.;'  while 
Mr.  Kelly=  observed  them  at  600  ft.,  east  of  the  north  end  of 
Glenismole.  Mr.  Maxwell  Close,^  in  one  of  his  most  memor- 
able papers,  has  given  lists  of  species  from  much  higher 
elevations. 

Thus,  if  we  follow  the  mountain-track  leading  from  Rath- 
farnham  towards  Glencullen,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
valle}^  to  that  taken  by  the  main  road,  we  arrive  finally  on  the 
southern  slope  of  Kilmashogue ;  and  here,  near  Calbeck 
Castle,  tough  sands  and  gravels,  cemented  by  carbonate  of 
lime,  appear  unexpectedly,  nestling  in  a  hollow  of  the  hills. 
In  these  beds,  now  much  grown  over,  Mr.  Close  has  found  six 
species  of  marine  mollusca,  and  this  at  a  height  of  at  least  1200 
feet.  Proceeding  over  the  ridge  of  Two-Rock  Mountain,  we 
descend  to  the  broad  col  between  Glencullen  village  and 
Stepaside  ;  and  here,  again,  gravel  covers  the  granite,  and 
fragmentary^  shells  are  not  at  all  uncommon.  In  the  old  pit 
opposite  Ballj^edmonduff  House,  Mr.  Close  discovered  the 
remains  of  some  twenty  molluscan  species,  at  a  height  of 
almost  exactly  1000  feet.  This  pit  has  now  fallen  in  and  is 
grass-covered ;  but  the  stratification  of  the  gravels  is  well 
seen  in  Mr.  Dunne's  pits  100  feet  or  so  higher  up  the  road, 
where  shells,  in  fragments  about  5  mm.  across,  may  easily  be 
obtained  by  sifting."* 

The  finest  section  of  these  "sands  and  gravels,"  probably 
one  of  the  grandest  in  the  British  Isles,  occurs  on  the  banks 
of  the  Cookstown  River,  where  Glencullen  narrows,  some  two 
miles  up  from  Enniskerry  (Plate  i.).  Here  the  valley  has 
evidently  been  choked  with  "drift"  material,  and  the  stream 
has  cut  its  way  down  through  it,  and  in  places  has  reached  the 
granite  bed.  The  characters  of  the  deposit  here  are  the  same 
as  in  other  parts  of  the  county.  The  sand  consists  of  quartz 
and  mica,  possibly  with  some  flint  particles.  The  larger 
blocks  are  of  very  varied  nature ;  granite  boulders,  abundant 
Carboniferous  limestones,  chert.  Cretaceous  flints,  Ordovician 
igneous  rocks  like  those  of  Tallaght  and  Lambay,  quartz- 
masses,  and  schists  from  the  contact-zone  of  the  granite — 
these  are  all  mingled  together,  some  fairly  rolled,  others 
merely  subangular.  The  percolating  waters  have  dissolved 
portions  of  the  limestones,  and  have  in  other  layers  firmly 
cemented  the  blocks  together  by  redeposition  of  the  carbonate 
of  lime. 

^  Oldham,  G.  S.  D.,  iii.,  66. 

2  "  The  Drift  of  the  district  about  Rathfarnham,"  G.  S.  Z>.,  vi.,  144. 

3  "The  Elevated  Shell-bearing  Gravels  near  Dublin,"  G.  S.  /.,  iv.,  36; 
and  Geological  Magazine,  1874,  p.  193. 

^  Dr.  Oldham  wrote  in  1844  {G.S.D.,  iii,  70),  "  I  have  never  yet  failed  to 
find  fragments,  at  least,  of  shells,  wherever  I  found  clays,  hard,  close, 
blueish,  gravelly  clays  with  the  gravel."  This  applies  to  the  whole 
counties  of  Dublin  and  Wicklow. 


County  Dublin,  Past  and  Present.  93 

The  beds  are  stratified,  as  if  laid  out  in  water ;  and  the  rain, 
in  cutting  numerous  gullies,  has  left  rough  pinnacles  standing 
out,  where  the  larger  boulders  protect  the  beds  below. 

We  have  reserved  one  of  the  most  important  characters 
until  last ;  the  limestone  blocks,  and  many  of  those  of  other 
materials,  are  conspicuously  marked  by  glacial  striae ;  and  at 
Howth,  Portraine,  and  elsewhere,  these  sands  with  scratched 
blocks  are  seen  to  rest  on  a  similarly  scratched  floor  of  solid 
rock."  lyand-ice,  despite  all  other  theories,  seems  alone  com- 
petent to  account  for  this  wide-spread  glaciation. 

Hence  here,  as  elsewhere,  geologists  have  discarded  the 
agency  of  huge  flood- waves^  in  accounting  for  the  "drift" 
accumulations  ;  but  they  find  themselves  facing  the  difficulties 
presented  by  the  theories  of  the  "  Glacial  Period."  Mr. 
Maxwell  Close,^  from  a  prolonged  study  of  the  forms  of  the 
roches  moutonnees  and  the  direction  of  the  boulder-drift,  has 
concluded  that  vast  ice-sheets  spread  outwards  from  the  north- 
central  plain  of  Ireland,  one  of  the  ice-streams  splitting  on  the 
Dublin  Mountains ;  the  S.B.  branch  of  this  would  be  some 
1 1 20  feet  thick  at  Bray,  and  capable  of  riding  up  slopes  of  14° 
to  28°,  so  as  to  striate  the  surface  at  a  height  of  653  feet  above 
the  sea.  Unocal  glaciers,  descending  from  the  mountains,  and 
remaining  long  after  the  great  ice  sheets,  would  complicate 
the  deposits  finally  left  behind.  The  clays  with  huge  granite 
boulders,  well  seen  in  the  new  cuttings  of  the  proposed 
railway  near  Knniskerrj^  are  regarded  as  the  product  of  land- 
ice  ;  while  the  stratified  sands  and  gravels  are  generally  held 
to  be  marine  deposits,  formed  during  a  period  of  subsidence, 
when  icebergs  carried  abundant  scratched  blocks  and  dis- 
tributed them  on  the  sea-floor  and  in  the  inlets  of  the  coast. 
But  the  fragmentary  nature  of  the  shells  found  in  the  sands 
indicates  that  they  were  moved  from  one  place  to  another 
during  these  changes  ;  and  hence  certain  authors  have  argued 
that  in  the  Dublin  Mountains,  and  the  correspondingly  high 
area  of  Moel-3^-Tryfaen  in  Caernarv^onshire,  the  marine  shells 
have  been  thrust  up  to  their  present  positions  by  advancing 
ice-sheets,  or  have  been  gradually  raised  from  the  sea-floor  to 
the  surface  of  the  vast  glaciers  by  internal  movements  of  the 
ice.  The  controversy  is  still  proceeding;  but  the  most  ardent 
supporters  of  the  ice-sheets  ad^lit  that  a  considerable  sub- 
sidence has  occurred  within  the  limits  of  the  "glacial  period." 
Considering  the  magnitude  of  past  movements,  a  subsidence 
of  some  1300  feet  in  recent  times  cannot  be  looked  on  as  in 
any  way  more  improbable  than  the  passage  of  ice-sheets  over 
our  hills  and  dales,  as  maintained  by  the  majority  of  geologists. 

1  This  was  insisted  upon,  before  its  significance  was  known,  by  Dr. 
Oldham  [G.S.D.,  iii,  p.  132).  ^ 

2  See  Kelly,  G.S.D.,  vi,  148. 

8  "The  General  Glaciation  of  Rocks  near  DubHn."  G.  S.  /.,  i.  (1864),  3; 
and  "The  General  Glaciation  of  Ireland,"  ibid.  (1865),  207. 


94  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

When  we  know  that,  in  Sicily,  Pliocene  beds  are  found  3000 
feet  above  the  sea,  and  yet  80  per  cent  of  the  molluscan  species 
found  in  them  still  flourish  in  the  Mediterranean,  we  need  not 
recoil  from  seeing  in  the  recent  species  on  the  Dublin  Moun- 
tains evidence  of  earth-movements  of  one  half  this  magnitude. 
But  another  question  rises  ;  might  not  the  shells  have  been 
stranded  in  hollows  of  the  hills  during  a  subsidence  prior  to 
the  cold  period  ?  Elevation  then  followed ;  and,  the  hills  being 
brought  above  the  snow-line,  glacial  deposits  were  formed, 
protecting  the  shell-residues  in  places.  When  the  local 
glaciers  finally  began  to  melt  away,-  copious  deposits  would  be 
formed  in  all  the  valleys  ;  the  hills  would  rapidly  become 
reduced  in  height  when  the  elevatory  movements  ceased,  and 
their  old  crags  and  summits  would  become  represented  by  the 
sands  and  "drifts"  of  GlencuUen  and  the  plains.  These 
would  be  full  of  scratched  blocks  from  the  hill- moraines, 
mingling  with  those  of  other  glaciers  from  the  north ;  stream 
after  stream  would  mix  and  redistribute  the,  materials.  The 
old  *' pockets"  of  shells  would  be  laid  bare  again,  and  would 
be  washed  down  into  the  general  river-drift.  While  appear- 
ing on  the  top  of  many  of  the  glacial  deposits,  they  might 
thus  bear  record  of  an  older  subsidence,  denudation,  as  it  must 
do  again  and  again,  having  rearranged  the  deposits  in  the 
reverse  order  of  their  formation.  This  is  naturally  suggested 
to  us  by  the  startling  resemblances  between  our  "sands  and 
gravels"  and  the  ordinar}^  material  that  infills  the  Alpine 
valleys.  GlencuUen  is  in  this  respect  a  model  of  the  northern 
slope  of  the  Brenner,  or  still  more  of  the  great  Drau  valley 
near  Sachsenburg  and  Villach.  Perhaps,  to  understand  our 
"glacial  epoch,"  we  may  yet  have  to  turn  from  Greenland  to 
the  chains  of  central  Europe,  and  to  reconstruct  from  the 
drift-choked  vallej^s  the  former  greatness  of  the  hills. 

The  winding  gravel  ridges,  or  Eskers,  of  which  that  quarried 
into  at  Balrothery  and  Greenhills  is  so  beautiful  an  example, 
cannot  yet  be  considered  as  explained.  Mr.  G.  H.  Kinahan 
has  made  an  extended  vStudy  of  them,  and  inclines  to  refer 
them  to  the  action  of  marine  currents  during  the  last  slow 
emergence  of  the  land.' 

Even  since  the  country  settled  down  into  something  like  its 
present  climatic  conditions,  the  changes  wrought  by  denuda- 
tion have  been  enormous.  The  earliest  Irish  Elks  may  have 
wandered  upon  hills  of  shale  and  limestone,  abutting  on  the 
granite,  where  now  the  lowland  of  Stepaside  and  Cabinteely 
stretches.  In  such  high  ground  Prof.  Hull=  has  sought  the 
explanation  of  the  Scalp,  the  head  of  the  valley  having  been 

^  "Geology  of  Ireland,"  pp.  226-231.  See  also  "On  the  Drift  in  Ire- 
land," G.  S.  /,,  i.,  191,  and  iii, ,  9,  for  a  discussion  of  many  types  of  Drift. 

"^  Sci.  Proc,  R.  Dublin  Soc,  new  ser.,  i.,  11.;  and  "  Physical  Geology  of 
Ireland,"  2nd  edit.,  p.  215.  To  appreciate  the  argument,  the  sections 
should  be  drawn  with  the  same  vertical  and  horizontal  scale. 


County  Dublin^  Past  a7td  Present.  95 

cut  away  after  the  gorge  in  the  more  resisting  granite  had 
been  formed.  The  future  has  probably  many  changes  in  store 
for  Co.  Dublin;  for  the  world  is  no  dead  planet  yet.  But  even 
if  the  British  Isles  again  become  mere  rocks  in  the  Atlantic, 
other  fatherlands  will  have  risen  as  the  home  of  man  and  his 
successors.  Ubi  libertas,  ibi  patria,  is  in  itself  a  defiance  to 
geological  revolutions. 


THE    SHAMROCK:      AN    ATTEMPT    TO    FIX    ITS 

SPECIES. 

BY  NATHANIE^I,   COI.GAN. 


SoMK  four  years  ago,  on  the  eve  of  Saint  Patrick's  Day,  I 
chanced  to  become  engaged  in  a  lively  discussion  with  some 
brother  botanists  as  to  the  true  species  of  the  Shamrock.  The 
general  opinion  of  those  present  was  clearly  in  favour  of 
identifying  the  national  badge  of  Ireland  with  the  White  or 
Dutch  Clover,  Trifolium  repejis  of  lyinnaeus,  and  this  opinion 
was  supported  bj^  the  weight  of  all  the  printed  authorities 
just  then  at  hand.  But  for  many  reasons  I  had  always  felt 
somewhat  doubtful  aboiit  this  identification,  and  the  result 
of  that  night's  discussion  was  not  to  remove  my  doubts,  but 
rather  to  send  me  home  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  care- 
fully studying  the  shamrock  question  in  general,  and  of 
examining  closely  into  the  claims  of  Trifolium  repens  in 
particular. 

The  first  step  in  the  inquiry  was  to  make  myself  acquainted 
with  the  literature  of  the  subject.  This  step  took  me  much 
farther  than  I  had  anticipated,  yet  as  I  went  on  I  found 
strong  encouragement  to  persevere  ;  for  there  was  obviously 
no  crushing  unanimity  of  authorities  on  the  side  of  the  White 
Clover.  Indeed,  a  study  of  some  two  and  a-half  centuries  of 
herbalists  and  botanists  from  Dodoens'  and  Gerrarde  down  to 
Stewart  and  Corry,^  showed  that  no  less  than  four  distinct 
shamrocks  were  in  the  field,  Trifolium  pratense,  I^.,  Trifolium 
repens,  I<.,  Medicago  lupulinay  ly.,  and  Oxalis  acetosella,  J^. ;  and 
to  decide  between  the  rival  claims  of  these,  seemed  a  matter 
of  national,  no  less  than  botanical  interest. ^ 

'  Peinptades  sen  Stirpiiim  Historia,  l6i6, 

"  Flora  of  the  North-cast  of  Ireland^  1 888. 

3  A  critical  review  of  the  shamrock  literature  from  Spenser  and  Fynes 
Moryson  down  to  the  present  day  would  greatly  add  to  the  interest  ot 
this  paper.  Biit  the  space  available  here  being  too  limited  for  even  a 
catalogue  of  winters  on  the  subject,  the  discussion  must  be  reserved  for 
another  occasion. — N.  C. 


96  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

From  a  survey  of  the  literature,  the  conclusion  was  irresis- 
tible that  the  question  as  to  the  species  of  the  Shamrock  had 
never  been  seriously  studied  by  any  competent  botanist,  per- 
haps because  the  subject  was  considered  too  trivial  for  serious 
treatment,  perhaps  because  any  attempt  to  go  into  it  ex- 
haustively may  have  been  checked  at  the  outset  by  the 
thought  that  the  Irishman  was  content  to  wear,  as  the 
national  badge,  any  w^ell-marked  trifoliate  leaf.  Such  a 
thought,  however,  could  only  have  entered  the  mind  of  an 
alien.  Every  Irishman,  and  every  Englishman  long  domi- 
ciled in  Ireland,  well  knows  that  the  Irish  peasant  displays 
great  care  in  the  selection  of  his  Shamrock.  There  is  for  him 
one  true  Shamrock  and  only  one  ;  but  unfortunately  for  the 
inquiring  botanist,  the  marks  by  which  the  Irishman,  may  we 
saj'',  distinguishes  the  plant,  are  very  largely  negative.  He 
can  tell  us  what  the  Shamrock  is  not,  rather  than  what  it  is. 
First  of  all  the  mystic  plant  is  not  a  clover,  in  the  next  place 
it  never  flowers,  and  finally  it  refuses  to  grow  on  alien  soil. 
It  would  not  be  true  to  say  that  my  countr3mien  have  no 
positive  marks  by  which  to  recognize  the  plant,  for  they 
usuall}^  demand  that  it  should  have  slender  creeping  stems 
and  small  neat  leaves,  but  these  characters  are  altogether  too 
vague  to  have  any  botanical  value. 

There  was  clearly  but  one  method  of  determining  the 
species  of  the  Shamrock.  Specimens,  each  certified  by  a 
competent  native  authority  as  the  true  Shamrock,  proper  to 
be  worn  in  the  hat  as  the  national  badge,  must  be  procured 
from  various  parts  of  Ireland  on  or  about  Saint  Patrick's 
Day,'  and  if,  as  was  not  improbable,  it  should  prove  diflicult, 
from  examination  of  these  necessarily  undeveloped  specimens, 
to  fix  the  species  with  certainty,  then  each  must  be  grown  on 
to  its  flow^ering  season  and  then  identified. 

Working  on  these  lines,  and  excluding  the  city  of  Dublin 
and  its  environs  from  the  field  of  inquiry,  since  the  fine 
instinct  which  guides  the  Irish  Celt  in  the  discrimination  of 
the  real  Shamrock  becomes  inevitably  blunted  by  contact 
with  the  corrosive  rationalism  of  cities,  I  collected  thirteen 
specimens  from  the  following  eleven  counties:  Derrj^,  Antrim, 
Armagh,  Maj-o,  Clare,  Cork,  Wexford,  Wicklow,  Carlo w, 
Queen's  Co.,  and  Roscommon.  Shamrocks  were  thus  secured 
from  northern,  southern,  eastern,  western,  and  central  Ire- 
land, my  correspondents  in  the  various  counties  taking  pains 
to  have  each  sample  selected  by  a  native  of  experience  who 
professed  to  know  the  true  plant. 

Examination  of  these  thirteen  shamrocks  very  soon  con- 
vinced me  that  I  could  not  safely  venture  to  name  them 
off-hand,  as  I  had  never  made  a  special  study  of  the  Trifolia, 
and  had  not  available  for  comparison  a  sufiiciently  complete 

*The  17th  of  March,  for  the  information  of  English  readers. 


The  Shamrock:  an  Attempt  to  Fix  its  Species.  97 

series  of  dried  specimens  to  justify  any  identification  based 
solely  on  an  examination  of  leaf,  and  stem,  and  stipule.  So 
all  thirteen  specimens  were  planted  and  carefully  labelled 
with  their  places  of  origin,  and  flowering  some  two  months 
later  gave  the  following  results :  eight  of  the  specimens 
turned  out  to  be  Trifolitim  minus  of  Smith,  and  the  remaining 
five  Trifolinm  repe?is  of  lyinnaeus.  Cork,  Derry,  Wicklow, 
Queen's  Co.,  Clare,  and  Wexford  declared  for  Trifolium  mi7ius; 
Ma3^o,  Antrim,  and  Roscommon  for  Trifolium  repe?is,  and 
Armagh  and  Carlow,  each  of  which  had  sent  two  specimens, 
were  divided  on  the  question,  one  district  in  each  county 
giving  T.  repeyis  while  the  other  gave  T.  nmius. 

These  results  were  just  such  as  I  had  looked  for,  and  I  have 
reason  to  expect  that  if  the  same  method  of  inquiry  were  to 
be  applied,  with  the  same  precautions,  to  the  remaining 
twenty-one  counties  of  Ireland,  the  preference  shown  for 
T.  mi7ius,  Sm.  would  be  placed  in  a  much  more  striking 
light.  From  the  results  just  recorded  we  are  at  all  events 
fully  warranted  in  drawing  this  conclusion,  that  the  Trifolium 
mirius  of  Smith'  has  a  decidedly  stronger  claim  to  be  regarded 
as  the  Shamrock  of  modern  Ireland,  than  the  Trifolium  repens 
of  lyinnseus.^ 


THE  COI.EOPTBRA  OF  THE  ARMAGH  DISTRICT. 

BY  RE^V.  W.  F.  JOHNSON,  M.A.,  F.K.S. 


{Continued from  page  78.) 


SII/PHID^. 

Clambus  armadillo,  De  G. — MulHnure,  in  moss — pretty  common. 
Agathidium  laevigatum,  Er. — Fairly  distributed  through  the  district. 
A.  rotundatum,  Gyll. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 
Anisotoma  calcarata,  Er. — Mullinure,  Dean's  Hill,  by  sweeping  and  in 

flood-rubbish. 
A.  nigrita,  Schmidt. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough,  sweeping— rare. 
Necropliorus  humator,  Goeze. — Common  throughout  district,  in  dead 

birds,  etc. 


*  In  the  earlier  stages  of  the  two  species  an  Irish  peasant  might  easily 
confound  T.  minus  with  Medicago  lupulina,  which  has  been  sold  in  Dublin 
as  the  Shamrock. 

^  As  I  wrote  these  lines  (May  13th)  a  fourteenth  specimen  of  Shamrock 
reached  me  from  lar  Connaught,  S.  Galway,  certified  by  an  Irish-speaking 
native.  This  specimen,  then  in  flower,  proved  to  be  also  T.  mi?tus,  thus 
giving  nine  to  five  in  favour  of  this  species.  A  fortnight  later,  while 
in  the  Aran  Isles,  Galway  Bay,  I  made  inquiries  for  the  true  Shamrock 
from  the  Irish-speaking  islanders.  Several  of  them,  searching  for  the 
plant  in  my  presence,  passed  over  7\  repens  as  too  coarse,  and  though 
apparently  inclined  to  fix  on  T.  minus,  seemed  so  staggered  by  the  ajp- 
pearance  of  its  flowers  that  they  gave  up  the  search  in  the  belief  that  it 
was  too  late  for  the  Shamrock. — N.  C. 


98  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Necrophoms    ruspator,    Kr. — Palace  Demesne,  in  dead  bird — not   as 

common  as  preceding. 
N.  vespillo,  Iv. — Dean's  Hill,  one  specimen  in  moss  at  foot  of  tree. 
Necrodes  littoralis,  L. — One  specimen  flew  into  my  house. 
Silpha  rugosa,  L. — Common  throughout  district,  in  dead  birds,  etc. 
S.   dispar,  Herbst. — Mullinure,  one  specimen — I  have  also  taken   this 

rare  beetle  sparingly  on  the  shores  of  Lough  Neagh. 
S.  atrata,  L.  |  Common  throughoutdistrictin  moss, 

var.  subrotundata,  Steph.     |      rotten  stumps,  etc. 
Clioleva  agilis,   111. — Lowry's  Lough,   in    moss;    Cathedral   Grammar 

School  Playground. 
C.  velox,  Spence. — Carroll's  Wood,  in  moss — rare. 
C.  wilkini,  Spence. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — not  common. 
C.  morio,  F. — Mullinure,  Drumbee,  in  moss — rare. 
C.   gfrandicoUis,   Er. — Mullinure,  sweeping  and  in  rabbit  skin — pretty 

common. 
Catops  sericeus,  F. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss,  etc. 
Colon  viennense,  Herbst. — Mullinure  in  moss,  one  specimen. 


SCYDMENID^. 

Neuraphes  elongatulus,  Mull. — Mullinure,  in  moss,  one  specimen. 
Scydmsenus  coUaris,  Miill. — Common  throughout  district. 
Eumicrus  tarsatus,  Miill. — Mullinure,  in  moss,  one  specimen. 


PSKlyAPHID^. 

Pselaphus  lieisei,  Herbst. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss. 

P.  dresdensis,  Herbst. — Mullinure,  in  flood- rubbish ;  Loughnashade  and 
Drummanmore  Lake,  in  moss — the  last  mentioned  locality  is  the 
most  productive.  I  got  five  specimens  in  one  bag  of  moss  from 
thence.  It  appears  to  be  extremely  rare. — Fowler.  Btii.  Col.  vol. 
iii.,  p.  85. 

Tychus  niger,  Payk. 

BytMnus  puncticoUis,  Denny,     j^  ,.  ,       ...       t...- 

Bryaxis  fossulata,  Reich.  Common  throughout  the  district,  in 

B.  juncorum,  Leach.  )      ™^^^' 

Euplectus  ambiguus,  Reich. 

TRICHOPTERYGID^. 

Trichopteryx  atomaria,  De  G. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss. 

T.  brevipennis,  Br. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 

Ftenidum    fuscicorne,   Er. — Mullinure,   in   moss  and    flood-rubbish — 

pretty  common. 
P.  nitidiuxn,  Heer. — Mullinure,  in  moss — pretty  common. 
P.  evanescens,  Marsh. — Mullinure,  in  moss — not  common. 


COCCINElvIvID^. 

Hippodamia    tredecimpunctata,    L. — Mullinure,   Drummanbeg  Lake, 

sweeping — rare. 
Adalia    obliterata,    L. — Mullinure,    Palace    Demesne,    in    moss — not 

common. 
Anatis  ocellata,  L. — Drummanmore,  one  specimen  in  moss. 

Halyzia  quattuordecimgTittata,  L. — Mullinure,  Folly,  in  moss — pretty 

common. 
H.  octodecimguttata,  L. — Grange,  Mullinure,  by  sweeping — rare. 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Armagh  District,  99 

H.  vigintiduopunctata,  L. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss  and 
by  sweeping. 

Scymnus  suturalis,  Thnb.     )  r^^^^^^  ^.t,  ^„^-u^  4.  t  j.  •  ^   •  - 

S.  testaceus,  Mots.  }  Common  throughout  district,  m  moss. 

Coccidula  rufa,   Herbst. — Common   throughout  district,  by  sweeping 
and  in  moss.  

HISTERID^. 

Hister  neglectus,  Germ. — Cathedral  Grammar  School  playground,  one 

specimen. 
H.  carbonarius,  111. — Common  throughout  district  in  dung,  moss,  etc. 
Aci'itus  minutus,  Herbst. — In  hot  bed — pretty  common. 


micrope;pi,id^. 
Micropeplus  staphylinoides,  Marsh. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss—rare. 


NITIDUI^ID^. 

Brachypterus  pubescens,  Hr.  \  Common^throughout^district  by 

B.  urticse,  Kug.  I      sweeping, 

Cercus  pedicularius,  L. — Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 

C.  mfilabris,   Latr. — Lowry's    lyough,    Mullinure,    by    sweeping — un- 

common. 
Epurea    fiorea,  Er. — Common  throughout  district,   by  sweeping  and 

beating  whitethorn. 
Meligethes     lumbaris,    Sturm.— Lowry's    lyough,    one    specimen    by 

sweeping. 
M.  sBiieus,  F.— Common  throughout  district,  in  moss  and  by  sweeping. 
M.  viduatus,  Sturm. — Mullinure,  Folly,  by  sweeping — pretty  common. 
M.  flavipes,  Sturm. — Mullinure,  Kildarton,  Drummanbeg — sweeping  and 

flood-rubbish. 
M.  picipes,  Sturm. — Mullinure,  Loughgall— sweeping  and  in  flood- rubbish. 

Sl'pe'SoSs.tn'''*"''  ""'''■  \  ^-1-^  D^~'  -  -oss-not  common. 
R.    parallelocoUis,  Er. — A   single   specimen   flew  into   the   Cathedral 

Grammar  Schoolroom. 
R.  dispar,  Gyll. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — pretty  common. 


MONOTOMID^. 

Monotonia  picipes,  Herbst. — Lowry's  Lough,  by  sweeping;   in  a  hot- 
bed— plentiful. 

IvATHRIDIID^. 

Latliridius  lardarius,  De  G. 

Cononimus  nodifer,  Westw.       )  ^  ,,  -u      i  t  i.  •  i.     • 

Encimus  minutus,  L.  Common  throughout  distnct-m  moss 

E.  transversus,  Ol.  ^^^  ^^  sweeping. 

Cartodere  filiformis,  Gyll.  ' 

Corticaria    denticulata,   Gyll. — Mullinure,   in   flood  rubbish,   Lowry's 

Lough — rare. 
C.  serrata,  Payk. — Cathedral  Grammar  School  Pla3'ground — rare. 
C.  elongfata,  Gyll. — Mullinure,  sweeping — rare. 

Melanophalma  gibbosa,  Herbst.      \  Common    throughout    district,   in 
M.  fuscula,  Mannh.  /     moss  and  by  sweeping. 


BYTURID.^. 

Byturus  tomentosus,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  sweeping — rare. 

(TO   BE   CONTINUED.) 


i  loo  ] 


PROCEEDINGS    OF   IRISH  SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI^OGICAI,  SOCIETY  OF  IRBI/AND. 

Two  Silver  Foxes  have  been  presented  to  the  collections  by  H.  A.  Lett, 
Esq.  ;  a  cockatoo  by  Miss  Norman;  three  Quails  by  H.  M.  Burton,  Esq., 
and  a  Long-eared  Owl  by  R.  Brennan,  Esq.  A  male  Yak  has  been 
deposited  in  the  gardens  by  Mr.  W.  Cross,  and  a  Black-headed  Lemur 
by  P.  Mahony,  Esq.  Thirty-four  monkeys  and  a  Japanese  Salamander 
have  been  purchased,  but  the  amphibian  has  unfortunately  died. 

A  portrait  of  the  late  Dr.  R.  Ball,  who  was  Hon.  Secretary  to  the 
Society  from  1837  to  1857,  ^^s  been  presented  by  Mrs.  Ball. 


DUBININ   MICROSCOPICAlv  CI^UB. 

June  i6th.— The  Club  met  at  Mr.  F.  W.  Moore's,  who  showed  a 
liverwort,  Cephalozia  francisci,  collected  at  Howth  by  Mr.  McArdle.  This 
species  is  probably  new  to  Ireland.  In  Moore's  "  Irish  Hepaticae,"  it  is 
stated  that  it  had  been  found  near  Bantry  by  Miss  Hutchins.  Dr.  Spruce, 
to  whom  the  specimen  exhibited  had  been  submitted,  states  that  it  was 
the  first  true  Cephalozia  francisci  which  he  had  seen  from  Ireland.  Those 
sent  from  the  Bantry  locality  were  all  forms  of  C.  divaricata,  and  he  con- 
sidered that  Miss  Hutchins'  plant  was  also  that  species.  Mr.  McArdle's 
discovery,  therefore,  forms  an  important  and  interesting  addition  to  the 
flora  of  Co.  Dublin,  if  not  of  Ireland. 

Dr.  E.  J.  McWeeney  showed  a  Bacillus  isolated  from  measles. 

Professor  A.  C.  Haddon  showed  specimens  of  the  foraminifer  Biloeulina 
depressa  from  the  east  and  w^est  coasts  of  Ireland.  Those  from  the  latter 
locality  were  much  the  larger. 

Professor  Cole  exhibited  sections  of  Heynitrijpa  Hibernica,  McCoy,  pre- 
pared from  fine  specimens  collected  by  Mr.  R.  Kirwan  in  Co.  Galway. 
It  has  been  stated  of  late  that  Hcmitrypa  is  merely  a  Fenestella  encrusted 
by  another  organism ;  but  these  specimens  suggest  that  it  may  be 
necessary  to  re-establish  Phillips's  Hemitrypa  as  a  genus. 


BEI.FAST  NATURAI.ISTS'  FIEI.D  CI.UB. 

June  i8th. — Excursion  to  Islandmagee  and  the  Gobbins.  The  party, 
fifty  in  number,  took  train  to  Ballycarry,  and  drove  thence  some  two 
miles,  and  then  walked  to  the  shore  south  of  the  Gobbins,  where  the 
Secretaries  announced  that  a  prize  would  be  given  for  the  best  collection  of 
flowering  plants  made  during  the  day.  Some  of  the  members  visited  the 
outcrop  of  Chalk  and  Greensand  to  the  southward,  and  the  whole  party 
then  walked  along  the  top  of  the  magnificent  range  of  cliffs  to  Port 
Muck  and  thence  to  Larne,  where  tea  was  provided,  and  the  railway 
brought  them  back  to  town.  Of  plants,  the  best  species  collected  was 
JSjnlobiuin  angiisti folium ;  the  prize  for  best  collection  fell  to  Miss  Rea,  whose 
series  numbered  11 1  species.  The  ornithologists  found  interest  in  the 
large  colonies  of  Herring  Gulls  that  tenanted  the  cliffs,  and  in  the  nest 
and  5'oung  of  a  pair  of  Peregrine  Falcons,  were  plainly  visible  at  one 
point  of  the  path.  The  best  find  of  the  entomologists  was  the  male  and 
female  of  the  pepper-and-salt  moth  {Amphidasys  hetularia). 

June  24th  and  25th. — Special  two-day  mountain-climbing  excursion  to 
the  Mourne  Mountains.  The  members  took  first  train  to  Newcastle,  and 
drove  to  Trassey  Bridge,  where  the  vehicles  were  left.  The  route  lay  up 
the  glen  of  the  Trassey  Burn  to  the  Hare's  Gap,  and  on  to  the  Diamond 
Rocks  on  the  southern  slope  of  Slieve-na-glough,  where  quarrymen  were 
in  waiting  to  blast  the  hard  rock  and  break  up  the  material  obtained. 
Good  crystals  of  smoky  quartz,  orthoclase,  mica,  and  topaz  were 
obtained,   and  fragments  of  beryl.      The    ascent  of   Slieve   Bearnagh 


Proceedings  of  Irish  Societies,  loi 

(2,394  feet),  was  next  accomplished,  and  subsequently  Slieve  Meel  More 
(2,237)  was  scaled,  and  an  interesting  bed  of  massive  amethyst  visited, 
which  is  undescribed  in  the  maps  and  memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey. 
The  route  then  lay  along  the  slopes  of  Slieve  Meel  Beg  and  past  Lough 
Shannagh  to  the  Deer's  Meadow,  where  the  carriages  were  in  waiting  to 
convey  the  party  to  Kilkeel  in  time  for  late  dinner.  The  best  plants 
found  during  the  day  were  Listera  corclata,  Junipcrus  nana,  Salix  herbacea, 
Vaccinium  vitis-idcea,  Lycopodium  alpinum.  Of  beetles,  Carahus  catenulatus 
was  taken  at  Hare's  Gap,  and  G.  arvensis  near  the  summit  of  Slieve 
Bearnagh.  In  the  department  of  lepidoptera,  Eiipithecia  pumilata,  E. 
minutata,  and  E.  satyrata  var.  callunaria  were  observed  on  the  mountains  ; 
and  Microdia  schulziana,  Acidalia  marginepunctata,  and  Eiqyithecia  coiistrictata 
on  the  lower  grounds  at  Kilkeel.  Next  morning  the  members  drove  to 
Colligan  Bridge,  at  the  base  of  Slieve  Bingian.  Here  the  weather  became 
so  bad,  with  heavy  mist  and  pouring  rain,  that  the  majority  of  the  party 
decided  to  proceed  by  road  to  Newcastle,  only  three  volunteering  for  the 
mountain  walk.  The  three  mountaineers  pushed  up  the  Silent  Valley 
for  several  miles,  and  then  climbed  to  the  saddle  between  Slieve  Bingian 
and  Slieve  Lamagan.  The  weather  was  so  excessively  bad  that  two  more 
members  dropped  off  here,  leaving  the  secretary  (Mr.  Praeger)  alone  to 
finish  the  programme.  The  solitary  representative  of  the  club  visited 
the  topmost  crags  of  Slieve  Bingian  in  a  whole  gale,  with  torrents  of  rain 
and  heavy  mist,  and  then  descended  with  all  speed.  The  party  reassem- 
bled at  Newcastle,  and  the  weather  cleared  up,  and  a  pleasant  and  in- 
structive afternoon  was  spent  in  the  woods  of  Donard  Lodge  and  on  the 
sand-dunes ;  in  the  evening  the  return  to  Belfast  was  made.  Records  of 
the  second  day :  Botany — Lobelia  dortmanna,  Drosera  intermedia,  Rhyncosp)ora 
alba — Silent  Valley;  Salix  herbacea,  Vaccinium  vitis-idcea,  Cryptocjamme  crispa 
— Slive  Bingian;  Isoeteslacustris,  Lobelia — Blue  Lough.  Lepidoptera — same 
Eupithecim  as  on  previous  day;  Bupalus  piniaria,  common  in  fir  woods; 
Scodiona  belgiaria,  Ellopiia  fasciaria.  Coleoptera — Dascillus  cervinus,  Tele- 
phorus  pelhicidus,  Rhagium  inquisitor.  The  geological  specimens  obtained 
were  some  quartz  crystals  and  good  specimens  of  felspar. 


DUBININ  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI,D   ClyUB. 

The  excursion  to  Leixlip  on  June  iSth,  did  not  yield  many  species,  as 
the  pace  was  necessarily  too  fast  to  allow  of  adequate  searching.  It 
proved  useful,  however,  in  directing  attention  to  an  excellent  piece  of 
collecting  ground  close  to  Leixlip  M.  G.  W.  Railway  Station.  The  area 
in  question  contains  several  swampy  places  which  are  literally  covered 
with  Finguicula  vulgaris,  Parnassia  palustris,  and  Anagallis  tenella;  Listera 
ovata,  Orchis  latifolia,  Gymnadenia  conopsea,  and  Orchis  pyramidalis  are  also 
abundant.  In  the  pools,  Alisma  ranicnculoides  was  seen — a  plant  stated  in 
the  City  and  County  Guide,  1879,  to  be  abundant  in  Dublin  and  Wicklow, 
but  which  is  certainly  very  seldom  observed.  The  drier  spots  abounded 
in  Foterium  sanguisorba.  The  President  (Dr.  McWeeney),  Dr.  Scharff,  and 
Mr.  D.  McArdle  paid  a  second  visit  (on  July  2nd)  to  this  favoured  spot, 
and  the  former  obtained  the  following-  Fungi : — Peziza  {Htjmenoscypha) 
cynthoidea.  Bull,  on  dead  Gentaurea  stems ;  Puccinia  molinioi,  Tul,  oecidio- 
spores  and  spermogonia  on  Orchis  latifolia  (the  spermogonia  were  well 
developed  on  plants  which  had  not  3'et  opened  their  flowers) ;  Uromyces 
parnassice,  D.  C,  CEcidiospores  only  found— abundantly.  The  first  Irish 
record  of  this  rare  species. 

The  excursion  to  Lough  Derevaragh,  Co.  Westmeath,  on  July  i6th, 
was  poorly  attended  on  account  of  the  wet  morning,  but  the  seven  mem- 
bers who  started  were  well  repaid  by  a  fine  day.  Train  was  taken  to 
Multyfarnham,  and  a  walk  thence  through  the  demesne  of  Donore 
(by  kind  permission  of  P.  Nugent,  Esq.)  brought  the  party  to  the  shores 
of  the  Lough,  which  proved  an  excellent  collecting-ground.  Dr.  E.  J. 
McWeeney  and  Mr.  D.  McArdle  collected  botanical  specimens.    Among 


103  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

the  phanerogams  the  priucipal  find  was  Ophrys  apifera,  of  which  about 
half-a-dozen  plants  were  observed  on  a  low-lying  grassy  plot  of  ground 
beside  the  lake.  Geranium  dissectiim,  Conium  maculatum,  Molinia  ccerulea  and 
Ai7xc  cmspitosa  were  also  noted;  but  the  lake  shores  were  devoid  of  many 
marsh  plants  which  regularly  occur  in  such  situations  near  Dublin,  as 
Pinguicula  vulgaris  and  Parnassia  2Mlustris.  In  addition  to  Ophrys,  the  plot 
of  ground  above  mentioned  contained  Orchis  maculata,  0.  pyramidalis,  and 
Listera  ovata.  Of  fungi,  the  following  amongst  other  species  were  ob- 
served and  identified  by  Dr.  McWeeney : — Agaricus  [Amanita)  stroMli/ormis, 
Fr,  one  magnificent  and  perfectly  typical  specimen  found  in  a  small 
wood  beside  the  lake;  A.  {Leptania)  cayyijjrojnts,  Fr.,  amongst  grass  in  a 
swamp  beside  the  lake;  A.  {Panceolus)  phalenarum,  Fr. ;  A.  {Prathyrella)  dis- 
seminaius,  Fr.;  Phallus  impmlicus,  L-,  in  the  little  wood  beside  the  lake; 
Merulius  coritim,  Fr. ;  Trcmella  mesentinea,  Retz.;  Puccinia  hullata,  Pers., 
uredospores  on  Conium  maculatum;  Puccinia  sp.  on  Angelica  sylvestris;  P. 
primulce,  Grev.,  uredo  and  teleutospores;  P.  veronicarum,  D.C.,  on  V.  mon- 
tana;  P.  violarum,  Link;  Triphragmium  ulmarice,  Link,  both  kinds  of  uredo- 
spores and  teleutospores;  Caleosporium  eiqyhrasice,  Lev.,  on  Euphrasia. 

Among  insects  the  only  noteworthy  butterfly  observed  was  Epinephile 
hyiKranthcs,  L.,  which  occurred  in  swarms.  The  dragon-fl}^,  Agrion  p)uclla, 
and  the  caddis  Mystacides  longicornis,  L.,  abounded.  Of  the  hemiptera, 
Calocoris  sexguttatus,  F.,  was  taken  in  the  wood,  whilst  Salda  littoralis,  L., 
and  Ehopalotomus  ater,  L.,  were  numerous  on  the  margin  of  the  water. 
The  hunting-spider,  Lycosa  palustris,  L.,  was  also  plentiful ;  another  spider 
of  the  same  family,  Tarentula  andrcnivora,  Walck,  was  taken  for  the  first 
time  in  Ireland. 


CORK  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEJIyD  ClyUB. 

The  uncertain  weather  of  the  past  weeks,  combined  with  the  fact  of 
many  members  being  on  holidays,  has  had  the  effect  of  making  the 
excursions  very  small,  but  several  have  been  taken. 

Junk  15TH. — The  Club  visited  Ardrum  (Sir  G.  Colthurst's  seat),  on  the 
Coachford  line,  a  ver}^  interesting  district  for  botanists. 

Junk  29TH. — The  Club  visited  Killeagh,  for  Glenbower  Woods.  The 
scenery  of  the  glen  several  miles  long,  resembles,  in  many  parts,  that  of 
the  Dargle,  in  Co.  Wicklow,  and  deserves  to  be  better  known;  there  is  a 
field  for  much  further  research,  of  which  members  intend  to  avail  them- 
selves. 

JuivY  9TH. — A  wet  morning  deterred  many,  but  a  party  of  twelve 
visited  the  beautiful  grounds  of  Fota  (A.  H.  Smith-Barry,  Esq.),  where 
there  is  a  splendid  collection  of  pines  and  firs  from  all  parts  of  the  world, 
the  characteristics  of  which  were  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Osborne,  the 
Steward. 


NOTES. 


BOTANY. 


PHANEROGAMS. 

Tamus  communis,  L.  in  Si<igo.  I  suppose  this  cannot  be  regarded  as 
an  Irish  plant,  but  I  found  it  well  established  in  Slish  wood  on  the  shore 
of  Lough  Gill,  in  July  this  year.  There  appear  to  be  no  records  of  its 
Irish  distribution.  Can  any  of  your  readers  tell  me  if  it  grows  in  the 
Killarney  woods  which  resemble  those  of  Lough  Gill  ? — Rev  C.  H. 
Waddell,  Saintfield,  Co.  Down. 

Neotinea  intacta  in  Co.  Ci,are.  In  the  Journal  of  Botany  for_  June, 
Mr.  H.  C.  Levinge  gives  the  result  of  a  search  for  the  rare  orchid  in  the 
Burren  district,  Co.  Clare.  He  states  that  he  found  it  extending  some- 
what sparingly  from  about  six  miles  west  to  about  three  miles  east  of  the 


Notes.  103 

town  of  Ballyvaughan,  and  he  gathered  it  also  at  Corry's  station, 
Glanquin,  but  failed  to  find  it  in  its  old  habitat  at  Castle  Taylor,  Co. 
Galway.  Mr.  Levinge  describes  the  flowers  as  creamy  white,  rather  than 
pink.  The  latter  part  of  the  papers  mentions  stations  for  a  number  of 
the  rarer  western  species. 

Thb  F1.0RA  OF  Co.  Wexford.  The  July  number  of  the  Journal  of 
Botany  contains  a  paper  by  Messrs.  Barrett-Hamilton  and  Moffat,  in 
which  they  add  a  number  of  new  localities  to  the  lists  of  Wexford  plants 
already  published  in  that  Journal  by  Miss  Glascott  and  themselves. 
Five  of  those  now  published  are  additions  to  district  IV.  of  "  Cybeie 
Hibernica  "  : — Aquilcgia  vulgaris,  Eanunculus  penicillatus,  Stachys  betonica, 
Utricularia  minor,  and  Hymenophyllum  tunhridgense. 

Rubus  clianioemorus  as  an  Irish  Pi^anT.  Mr.  A.  G.  More,  in  the 
Journal  of  Botany  for  June,  summarizes  the  information  available  regard- 
ing the  unverified  record  of  Prof.  Murphy  for  this  plant  on  the  Sperrin 
Mountains,  and  urges  further  search  for  it  in  its  only  recorded  Irish 
station. 


Z  O  O  Iv  O  G  Y. 


INSECTS, 

Coi^EOPTERA  IN  Co.  Dubinin.  Collecting  in  Glencullen  on  a  warm  day 
about  the  middle  of  last  month  (June),  I  took  examples  of  the  following  : 
Bolitohius  lunulatus,  Stenus  similis,  S.  Mmaculatus,  Dianous  coerulescens,  Throscus 
dermestoicles,  Strongylus  fcrvidus,  Priohium  castaneum,  Mesites  tardy i,  and  single' 
specimens  of  the  rare  3Iegatoma  undata,  and  Abdera  bifasciata.  At  Barna- 
cullia  a  few  da5^s  later,  I  took  CycJirus  rostratus,  Leistus  rufcscens,  Telephorus 
bicolor,  Malthinus  punctatus,  Puigonycha  pallida,  R.  testacca,  Granimopitera 
tabacicolor,  AlojyJnis  triguttatus  and  Orchestcs  rusei.  The  last  named  I  have 
since  taken  in  greater  numbers  at  Leixlip. — H.  J.  Cuthbert,  Blackrock. 

CoivEOPTERA  OF  THE  Hoi^YWOOD  DISTRICT.  In  connection  with  the 
Cultra  Field  Club,  a  small  local  organization,  a  prize  was  offered  by  the 
Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson  for  the  best  collection  of  beetles  made  by  members, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Holy^vood,  during  the  months  of  February, 
March,  and  April  last.  A  few  notes  of  the  rarer  species  obtained  by  the 
two  competitors  (ourselves),  may  be  of  interest  as  showing  what  may  be 
done  by  novices  in  a  short  period,  in  spite  of  an  unfavourable  spring  and 
the  limited  time  at  our  disposal.  All  the  species  were  obtained  within 
a  four  mile  radius  of  Holywood ;  the  area  thus  enclosed  offers  a  con- 
siderable variety  of  habitat,  including  salt-marshes,  w^oods,  and  strong 
heaths.  The  determinations  were  all  made  by  Mr.  Johnson,  to  whom  we 
are  much  indebted  for  his  painstaking  kindness. 

The  total  number  of  species  found  was  165.  Five  of  these  are  additions 
to  the  Irish  list,  namely — Bradycellus  distinctus,  Stormount,  under  moss  ; 
Ha^palus consenteneus,  Marino,  under  dead  hen;  Coelambus 2Jarallclogrammus, 
People's  Park,  in  open  drain ;  Alcochara  grisea,  Craigavad,  among  sea- 
weed; Qucd'iiis  jnincticollis,  Holywood,  under  moss.  Of  the  other  species 
the  following  are  the  more  noteworthy: — Notiophilus  substriatus,  Holywood 
and  Clandeboye;  Cydirus  rostratus,  Craigliauntlet  and  Clandeboye;  Leistus 
fulvibarbis  Craigavad ;  L.  rufesccns,  Clandeboye;  Calatlms  2ncens,  Holywood 
and  Clandeboye  ;  Fterostichus  stremius,  Holywood  ;  Amara  fulva,  Marino  ; 
A.  acuminata,  Craigavad;  A.  lunicullis,  Cultra  Wood;  Bembidium  manner - 
heimi,  Holywood  and  Stormount;  B.  rufesccns,  Marino;  Hydroporus  lepidus, 
Holywood  ;  H.  pubcsccns,  (inelanocephalus).  People's  Park  ;  Agabus  guttatus, 
Holywood;  Sphaeridium  marginatum,  Cultra  Wood;  Cercyon  littoralis,  Cultra 
and  Craigavad;  Alcochara  bipunctata,  Stormount;  A.  algarum,  Craigavad. 
(only  other  record  near  Dublin) ;  A.  nitida,  Holywood  ;  Tachinus  subter- 
rancxs,  Cairngever ;  T.  subterraneus,  var.  bicolor,  Cultra  Wood ;  Megacronus 
analis,  Hol>^^ood  and  Craigavad  ;  Qucdius  fulgidus,  Holj^'ood  ;  Q.  cinctus 
(empressus),  Holywood  and  Craigavad;  Q.  tristis,  Cultra  Wood;  Ocj/pus 
morio,  Clandeboye  and  Stormount ;   Fhilonthus  splendcns,  Holywood ;    P. 


I04  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

intermedms,  Holywood ;  P.  aeneus,  Cultra ;  P.  succicoh,  Holy^vood  (this 
specimen  is  an  interesting  variety,  having  only  three  dorsal  punctures 
on  the  thorax  instead  of  four,  and  the  whole  thorax  being  finely  punc- 
tured, instead  of  smooth) ;  F.  addendus,  Holj'wood ;  P.  cbeninus,  Craiga- 
vad;  Oxytclus  tetracarinatus,  Hol}"\\^ood ;  UomaUum  excavation,  Holywood; 
Micropejylus  2>orcatus,  Holywood  (only  other  records  near  Belfast  (Haliday) 
and  Portmarnock) ;  Aphodius  depressus,  Holywood;  Orchestes  qucrcus,  Cultra 
Wood ;  JSicrrhinus  scirpi,  Holywood ;  Liosoma  ovattdiim,  Hol}^'Ood  and 
Clandeboye  ;  Exomias  araneiformis  {Barypeithes  pdlucidiLs),  Holywood ; 
Liophlceus  nuMlis,  Cultra ;  Barynotus  obscuriis,  Holywood ;  B.  schonherri, 
Cultra;  B.  elevatus,  Craigavad. — W.  H.  Patterson,  junr.  and  W.  D.  Donnan, 
Hol}"vvood,  Co.  Down. 

Abnormai,  PhiIvONThi.  Among  some  beetles  sent  to  me  for  identifi- 
cation by  Mr.  W.  D.  Donnan  of  Holywood,  was  a  large  PMlonthus  which 
greatly  puzzled  me,  I  therefore  sent  it  to  Canon  Fowler  and  subsequently 
to  Dr.  D.  Sharp.  They  decided  that  it  was  an  abnormal  specimen  of 
Philonthus  succicola.  It  is  a  very  curious  looking  beetle,  as  it  has  three 
punctures  in  the  dorsal  series  on  one  side  and  four  on  the  other,  and  has 
moreover  the  whole  thorax  very  finely  and  'closel}'  punctured  instead  of 
being  perfectly  smooth.  The  correspondence  about  this  beetle  caused 
me  to  mention  to  Dr.  Sharp  that  I  had  a  curious  specimen  of  Ph.  variaus 
which  I  had  taken  at  Bundoran  in  1890.  At  his  request  I  sent  it  to  him 
and  he  returned  it  telling  me  that  it  was  a  very  remarkable  specimen,  as 
it  had  a  puncture  short  in  the  dorsal  series  on  both  sides  of  the  thorax,  a 
variation  which  he  had  never  seen  in  any  Buropean  specimen  before. 
.Together  with  this,  I  sent  Dr.  Sharp  another  specimen  of  Ph.  variaus 
which  I  had  taken  in  a  hotbed  in  my  garden.  It  was  remarkable  for  the 
absence  of  colour  in  the  elytra  which  were  of  a  ding)^  white.  I  suggested 
that  this  probably  arose  from  immaturity  but  Dr.  Sharp  considered  that 
there  must  have  been  some  other  cause  than  mere  immaturity  to  produce 
such  a  curious  absence  of  colour.  The  proper  colour  of  the  elytra  is 
black  with  a  blotch  near  the  shoulder. — Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson,  Armagh. 


BIRDS. 

Wood  Warbi^er  (Pliylloscopus  sibilatrix)  in  Co.  Wexford.  On 
July  ist  a  bird-note  unfamiliar  to  my  ears — "  wicka  wicka  wee  guee  guee 
guee  "  (with  an  emphasis  on  the  "wee") — impatiently  and  repeatedly 
uttered  above  my  head,  caused  me  to  look  up  and  behold  a  bird  which 
but  for  its  perfectly  different  song  I  should  have  taken  for  the  Willow 
Wren,  busily  hopping  through  the  branches  of  a  sycamore,  and  con- 
tinuing its  monotonous  melody  with  scarcely  a  break.  Though  I  did  not 
get  a  good  view  of  its  upper  surface  I  have  no  hesitation  in  setting  it 
down  as  the  Wood  Warbler  (Phylloscojnis  sibilatrix),  a  bird  which  I  have 
not  previously  seen  in  this  locality,  when  attention  was  specially  direct- 
ed to  the  point,  it  seemed  to  me  somewhat  large  for  P.  trochilus,  and  to 
possess  in  proportion  a  shorter  tail ;  but  these  diiferences  are  easily  im- 
agined, and  it  is  on  the  strength  of  its  song  that  I  identify  the  bird.  Has 
the  Wood  Warbler  been  previously  seen  in  the  county .?- — C.  B.  Moffat. 

Woodpecker  in  Irei^and.  Mr.  W.  Connell's  communication  (p.  82) 
is  interesting  ;  but  the  presence  of  Woodpeckers  in  a  locality  must  not 
always  be  inferred  from  the  sound  of  "  tapping  against  trees  in  silent 
woods."  I  have  heard  this  (in  Co.  Wexford)  many  times ;  but  in  the 
majority  of  such  cases  the  unseen  tapper  is  in  fact  the  Great  Titmouse, 
whose  stout  back,  backed  by  his  sturdy  frame,  can  deal  a  series  of  sur- 
prisingly resonant  blows  against  growing  timber,  in  the  bird's  keen  pursuit 
of  insect  prey.  It  is  generally  in  winter  or  late  autumn  that  this  some- 
times misleading,  but  always  pleasant  sound,  attracts  my  attention, 
principally,  I  think,  among  beech  trees.  I  may  add  that  all  our  titmice 
act  "  Woodpecker  "  to  a  certain  extent,  particularly  in  severe  weather, 
but  Parus  major  is  audible  to  a  far  greater  distance  than  any  of  the 
smaller  species  inhabiting  this  country. — C.  B.  Moffat,  Ballyhyland,  Co. 
Wexford. 


^^e  girtelj  |lixtttraU0t> 


Vol..  I.  SKPTKMBKR,  1892,  No.  6. 


THE  IRISH  LAND  AND  FRESHWATER   MOI^LUSCA. 

BY  R.  P.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 

( Continued frovi  page  90. ) 

GASTROPODA. 
P  U  L  M  0  N  A   T  A  . 


Genus— HELIX. 

Helix  pygmsea,  Drap. 
I.     —    III.     IV.     V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     —    X.     XI.     XII. 

This  very  minute  species  has  a  very  wide  distribution,  but  owing  to 
its  small  .size  is  not  easily  detected. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Continental  E^urope,  Siberia, 
Sicily,  Madeira,  and  throughout  North  America. 

Helix  rotundata,  Miiller. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XL     XII. 

This  species  is  extremely  common  in  Ireland,  and  one  can  hardly  turn 
over  a  stone  without  finding  it. 

Foreign  Distribution. — It  ranges  probably  over  the  whole  of  Con- 
tinental Europe  and  Great  Britain,  Sicily,  Corsica,  Azores,  Madeira.  A 
closely  allied  species,  H.  ruderata,  probably  lived  in  England  during  the 
glacial  period,  but  is  now  confined  to  more  northern  latitudes  and  the 
Alps. 

Helix  rupestris,  Drap. 

I.     II.     —    —    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    XI.     — 

Thompson  (15)  refers  to  this  species  under  the  name  of  H.  umbilicata 
(Mont.),  and  mentions  that  it  is  commonly  distributed  throughout  the 
southern  three-fourths  of  Ireland,  but  Mr.  Milne  (10)  found  it  equally 
abundant  at  Rockville,  in  Donegal.  It  "is  very  common  on  the  Aran 
Lslands,  Co.  Galway. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  central  and  southern  Europe, 
Portugal,  Sicily,  Syria,  Tunis,  and  Algiers. 

Helix  pulchella,  Miill. 
I.     II.    —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    —    XII. 

Commonly  distributed  in  the  greater  part  of  Ireland  chiefly  in  dry 
places.  The  ribbed  variety  (//.  costata,  Miill),  is  generally  found  in  com- 
pany with  the  type. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  continental  Europe,  Sicily, 
Corsica,  Azores,  Madeira,  Canaries,  St.  Helena,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 

A 


io6  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Helix  aculeata,  Mull. 

I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.     —    VIII.     IX.     —    —    XII. 

Like  H.  pygnma,  whose  habitat  it  shares,  this  species  is  most  easilj^ 
obtained  by  shaking  fallen  leaves  over  a  sieve  and  examining  the  residue 
carefully  on  a  piece  of  white  paper. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany,  France,  southern 
Scandinavia,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Mo- 
rocco, Corsica,  Sicily,  and  the  Azores. 

Helix  lamellata,  Jeffr. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.    —    —    —    —    —    —    —    XII. 

Thompson  (15)  has  recorded  this  beautiful  species  from  Co.  Down, 
Killarney,  and  the  Glen  of  the  Downs  (Wicklow),  and  I  myself  found  it 
at  GlengarifF  and  Killarney. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Its  very  limited  foreign  distribution  points 
to  the  probability  of  its  having  originated  somewhere  within  the  British 
Islands.  It  occurs  in  Scotland,  North  of  England  (also  in  the  south 
during  the  glacial  period),  northern  Germany,  Denmark,  and  southern 
Sweden. 

Helix  hispida,  Linn. 

I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

The  shell  of  this  species  is  very  variable  in  size  as  well  as  in  the  width 
of  the  umbilicus ;  so  much  so  that  it  is  by  many  authorities  subdivided 
into  a  number  of  species.  The  variety  nana  (Jeffr.)  is  regarded  as  a  distinct 
species  by  Westerlund,  whilst  the  variety  concinna  (Jeffr.),  which  Mr. 
Jeffreys  himself  was  inclined  to  look  upon  as  a  distinct  species,  is  treated 
as  a  variety  b}'  all  continental  authorities.  H.  hispida  and  its  variety 
concinna  are  commonly  distributed  in  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  throughout  continental 
Kurope,  Sicily,  Algiers,  Siberia,  Nova  Scotia  (introduced)  ? 

Helix  rufescens,  Penn. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This  is  an  extremely  variable  form,  and  like  the  last  is  divided  into  a 
number  of  separate  species  by  some  of  the  continental  authorities.  Dr. 
Westerlund  recognises  three  British  species  belonging  to  this  type, 
viz.,  H.  rufescens  (Penn.),  H,  striolata  (C.  Pfr.),  and  H.  abhidens  (Loc).  The 
latter  is  said  to  be  found  only  in  Dublin,  Jersey,  and  Boulogne  in  the 
north  of  France. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Dublin  this  species  is  very  common,  and 
it  seems  to  be  generally  distributed  in  Ireland,  except  in  the  north-east. 
Milne  (10)  found  it  in  the  Co.  Donegal  and  Achill  Island. 

Foreign  Distribution. — This  is  difficult  to  determine  on  account  of 
the  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  limits  of  the  species.  H.  rufescens 
(Penn.),  Great  Britain,  Belgium,  N.  W.  France.  H.  striolata  (C.  Pfr.), 
Great  Britain,  France,  W.  Germany.  H.  abludens  (Loc),  Jersey  and  N. 
France.  H,  \inontana  (Stud.),  Switzerland,  south  Germany,  France,  and 
Austria. 

Helix  sericea,  Drap. 

I.     II    —    IV.     V.     —     —    —    IX.     —    —     XII. 

I  quite  agree  with  Thompson  (15)  that  the  Irish  specimens  are  not 
referable  to  H.  granulata,  Alder.  They  are  somewhat  intermediate 
between  the  typical  //.  sericea  and  //.  granulata,  the  latter  being  probably 
only  an  extreme  variety  of  the  other. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  France,  south-west  Ger- 
many, Switzerland,  Italy,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Algiers. 


The  Irish  La^id  and  Freshwater  Molhisca.  107 

Helix  fusca,  Mont. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.     VII.    VIII.     —    X.     —    XII. 

This  species  has  been  taken  in  the  more  mountainous  districts  of 
Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — This  is  rather  remarkable,  the  species  being 
a  decidedly  western  European  form  which  has  hitherto  only  been  found 
in  the  south,  south-west,  and  north  of  England,  Wales,  and  Scotland. 
Beyond  Great  Britain  it  is  known  only  from  the  south-west  of  France. 

(Helix  cantiana,  Mont.) 

In  Walsh  and  Whitelaw's  "History  of  Dublin,"  this  species  is  men- 
tioned as  occurring  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dublin,  and  Mr.  Taylor 
received  specimens  which  were  said  to  have  been  taken  in  Stillorgan 
Park,  near  Dublin,  but  nevertheless  I  am  disinclined  to  admit  it  in  the 
Irish  list,  as  both  Mr.  Redding  and  myself  scoured  every  corner  of  the 
park,  without  being  able  to  find  a  trace  of  the  shell.  It  has  not  been  re- 
corded from  any  other  Irish  locality. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England  (chiefly  east),  near  Bremen  (Ger- 
many), Belgium,  and  north-west  France. 

Helix  arbustorum,  Linn. 
I?___V.?    —    —    —    —    —     —    XII. 

Thompson  (15)  found  this  species  abundantl}^  in  Antrim,  and  sparingly 
in  Down,  but  I  am  doubtful  whether  the  other  Irish  localities  mentioned 
by  him  should  be  regarded  as  properly  authenticated,  Irish  collectors  not 
being  familiar  with  the  look  of  this  species.  The  late  Mr.  Warren  had 
young  K.  aspersa  in  his  collection  marked  H.  arbustorum,  and  no  recent 
observer  has  been  able  to  find  the  species  anywhere  near  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany,  France,  the  Alps 
up  to  7,000  feet,  northern  Italy,  Pyrennees,  Scandinavia,  Austria,  Tran- 
sylvania. 

Helix  pisana,  Miill. 

This  species  inhabits  a  short  track  along  the  coast,  between  Drogheda 
(Co.  Meath)  and  the  village  of  Rush  (Co.  Dublin),  and  Miss  Smith  has  also 
found  it  a  few  miles  north  of  the  Boyne,  in  Louth.  It  is  absent  from  the 
rest  of  Ireland,  the  record  of  Mr.  Andrews  (15)  in  Kerry  not  having  been 
confirmed  by  later  observers. 

Foreign  Distribution.— South-west  England  and  Wales,  central  and 
southern  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Morocco,  Algiers,  Tunis,  Egypt,  Syria, 
Corsica,  Italy,  Istria,  Greece,  Turkey,  Cyprus,  Madeira,  Canaries,  and 
Azores. 

Helix  virgata,  Da  Costa. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     —    VII.    VIII.     —    —     —    XII. 

This  very  variable  species  is  extremely  common  in  many  localities 
round  the  coast,  and  alter  a  shower  of  rain  it  sometimes  appears  in  such 
unusual  numbers,  having  previously  been  hidden  in  the  ground,  that  it 
has  given  rise  to  a  popular  belief  that  it  has  "  rained  snails." 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain  (as  far  north  as  the  south  of 
Scotland),  France,  Italy,  Dalmatia,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Sicily,  and  Corsica. 

Helix  intersecta,  Poir. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     —    —    —     IX.     —    —    XII. 

H.  caperata,  Mont,  is  a  more  recent  name  for  the  same  species.  In  the 
Co.  Dublin,  on  the  limestone  of  Portmarnock,  as  well  as  on  the  granite  of 

A* 


io8  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Dundrum,  it  is  plentiful.     Thompson  (15)  never  met  with  this  species  in 
the  north,  but  records  it  from  Kildare,  Queen's  County,  and  Cork. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany  (only  at  Weimar 
and  the  Island  of  Alsen),  Belgium,  France,  north  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
and  Madeira. 

Helix  ericetorum,  MUller. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     —     XI.     XII. 

On  the  west  coast  this  species  is  very  abundant  in  many  localities,  and 
it  varies  greatly  in  size  and  colour.  The  Irish  form  differs  so  much  from 
the  continental  one,  that  Dr.  Westerlund,  to  whom  I  sent  specimens 
from  the  Aran  Islands,  referred  them  to  a  new  species,  H.  lampra.  I  quite 
agree,  however,  with  Prof.  Boettger  who  looks  upon  the  Irish  form  as  a 
variety  of  the  typical  H.  ericetorum. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  France,  central  and  western 
Germany,  Switzerland,  Corsica,  Spain,  Portugal,  north  Italy,  Turkey,  and 
Algiers. 

Helix  acuta,  MUller. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX      —    XI.     XII. 

Thompson  (15)  and  also  many  English  writers  place  this  species  under 
the  genus  Bulwius,  but  its  habits  and  the  structure  of  the  animal  and 
shell  are  much  more  HclixASk.^,  and  it  is  classed  under  that  genus  by  the 
best  continental  authorities.  It  is  very  common  in  many  localities  along 
the  coast,  especially  on  the  north  side  of  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  France,  Italy,  Spain,  Portugal, 
Morocco,  Algiers,  Sicily,  Malta,  Corsica,  Cyprus  and  Crimea. 

Helix  nemoralis,M  tiller. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     VI.    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This  is  one  of  the  commonest  and  also  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Irish 
mollusca.  Yellow  or  red,  with  or  without  bands,  are  the  commonest 
varieties.  In  many  places  on  the  west  coast  there  is  a  race  of  very  large 
forms  of  this  species,  for  instance  on  Valentia  and  on  the  Aran  Islands, 
and  a  now  extinct  race  of  large  and  very  thick-shelled  white  forms  lived 
not  long  ago  at  Roundstone  in  Connemara. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Germany,  southern  Scandi- 
navia, Illyria,  Dalmatia,  Western  Austria,  Switzerland,  north  Italy, 
France,  Spain  and  Portugal. 

Helix  hortensis,  MUller. 
I.?    —    III..?     IV.     V.     -    VII.     VIII.     —    X.     XI..?    XII. 

This  is  much  less  common  than  H.  neT?ioralis.  The  H.  hybrida,  Poir. 
mentioned  by  Thompson  (15)  must  be  looked  upon  as  a  variety  of  this 
species. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  France,  Portugal,  Germany, 
central  and  southern  Scandinavia,  Iceland,  Faroe  and  Shetland  Isles, 
Finland,  Bohemia,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Greenland,  and  north  eastern 
portion  of  North  America;  also  on  islands  between  Newfoundland  and 
Cape  Cod. 

Helix  aspersa,  MUller. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

Although  in  southern  Europe  we  find  several  well-marked  varieties,  this 
species  remains  remarkably  constant  in  its  characters  in  Ireland.  It  is 
the  largest  of  our  land-shells  and  one   of  the  commonest,  at  least  all 


The  Irish  Land  a?id  Freshwater  Mollusca.  109 

round  the  coast.  Dr.  Westerlund,  in  his  large  work,  mentions  that  this 
species  occurs  in  the  British  Islands  only  in  the  south  of  Kngland,  but  it 
is  really  common  as  far  north  as  Scotland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Belgium,  France,  Portugal, 
Corsica,  Sardinia,  Italy,  Sicily,  Malta,  Cyprus,  Algiers,  Azores,  Canaries, 
Morocco,  St.  Helena,  occurs  also  in  southern  North  America,  Hayti  and 
Chili,  but  is  supposed  to  have  been  introduced. 

Genus— BULIMINUS. 

Buliminus  obscurus,  Mliller. 
—    —     III.     IV.     V.     —    —    —    —    —    —    XII. 

This  species  has  only  been  found  in  the  eastern  counties  of  Ireland. 
It  is  not  uncommon  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  throughout  continental 
Europe  and  Sicily. 

Genus— COCHLICOPA. 

Cochlicopa    lubrica,    Mliller. 
I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

Thompson  placed  this  species  under  the  genus  Bulivms,  froin  which, 
however,  it  differs  considerably.  It  is  very  common,  especially  in  damp 
places  under  stones. 

Foreign  Distribution. — It  has  an  enormous  distribution,  ranging 
over  Great  Britain,  throughout  continental  Kurope,  Sicily,  Corsica, 
Azores,  Madeira,  Armenia,  Tibet,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Siberia,  and  through- 
out North  America. 

Genus  — CCECILIANELLA. 

Coecilianella  acicula,  Mliller. 

—     II.     III.     —    V.     VI.     VII.     _    —    —    —     — 

Thompson,  Jeffreys,  and  other  authors,  have  placed  this  species  under 
the  genus  Achatina,  a  name  which  is  now  exclusively  used  for  a  number 
of  extra-European  forms,  C.  acicula  probably  lives  altogether  under- 
ground, and  it  has  very  rarely  been  obtained  living. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Sweden,  Germany,  France, 
Italy,  Portugal,  Corsica,  Madeira,  Canaries,  Switzerland,  Austria, 
Hungary,  Caucasus,  Greece,  Palestine,  and  Florida. 

(TO  BE  continued). 


NOTICE. 

A  series  of  papers  on  "The  Earthworms  of  Ireland,"  will  be 
commenced  in  the  Januar}^  number  of  the  Irish  Naturalist,  by 
Re:v  H11.DERIC  Friend,  F.L.S.,  of  Idle,  Bradford,  Yorkshire. 

Mr.  Friend  will  be  grateful  for  worms  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  They  should  be  sent  alive  in  damp  earth  or  moss,  in 
metal  boxes.  Packages  should  be  marked  "  Natural  History 
Specimens." 

B 


[   no  ] 
IN     CAMP     ON     I,OUGH     ERNK 

BY  R.  I,I,OYD  PRAKGKR,  B.A.,  M.R.I. A. 


At  the  end  of  June  last,  in  company  with  my  friend  and 
co-secretary  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  Mr. 
Francis  Joseph  Bigger,  I  spent  three  delightful  summer  days 
among  the  islands  of  lower  Lough  Erne.  A  good  friend  in 
Knniskillen,  w^ho  is  well  known  to  Irish  scientists  as  the 
discoverer  of  rarities  in  more  than  one  department  of 
science,  obligingly  procured  for  us  a  tent,  a  boat,  and  a 
captain  and  crew:  our  captain,  a  very  important  part  of  the 
equipment,  was  Patrick  Murphy,  an  able  and  experienced 
boatman,  whom  I  can  safely  recommend  to  any  friends  who 
may  wish  to  explore  the  beauties  of  this  fine  lake;  quiet  and 
obliging,  and  cautious  also,  as  one  needs  to  be  on  these  large 
sheets  of  inland  water,  which  are  often  set  with  dangerous 
sunken  reefs,  and  liable  to  squalls  that  have  before  now 
proved  fatal  to  some  of  our  best  Irish  botanists.  Our  crew 
consisted  of  Dick,  a  bright  lad,  whose  idea  of  bliss  was  to 
roam  the  wooded  islands  with  us  in  search  of  butterflies  and 
ducks'  nests,  and  throw  stones  at  the  gulls  and  rabbits.  Our 
tent  was  pitched  on  the  eastern  side  of  Great  Paris  Island, 
under  a  group  of  tall  Scotch  firs,  with  a  spreading  oak  on 
either  hand,  under  which  the  bracken  rose  full  six  feet  high, 
though  not  3^et  fully  expanded.  In  front,  a  low  belt  of  young 
birches,  and  then  the  lake,  stretching  away  to  the  wooded 
shores  of  the  mainland.  At  four  o'clock  every  morning  the 
sun,  rising  over  the  fir-woods  of  Gublusk  Point,  came  bursting 
out  over  the  water,  and  poured  in  a  flood  of  light  right  into 
our  tent.  Then  we  would  be  up  and  astir,  have  a  swim  in  the 
lake  and  a  hurried  cup  of  coffee,  and  away  in  our  boat  among 
the  islands  in  the  cool  morning  air,  to  return  at  nine  or  ten 
for  breakfast.  Then  off  again,  not  to  be  back  till  long  after 
sundown,  when  a  hearty  meal,  to  which  we  did  ample  justice, 
was  followed  by  an  examination  of  the  day's  spoil,  and  a 
quiet  smoke  over  the  glowing  embers,  as  we  perched  on  the 
water-carved  and  moss-grown  blocks  of  Calp  sandstone  and 
Old  Red  conglomerate  which  bestrewed  the  shore,  watching 
the  shadows  darkening,  and  the  ducks  flapping  about  on  the 
still  water,  brought  the  day  to  a  close. 

The  greater  part  of  our  time  during  our  short  stay  was 
spent  in  landing  on  island  after  island,  rambling  through  the 
luxuriant  woods  with  which  most  of  them  are  clothed,  or 
beating  the  dense  scrub  and  long  grass  which  cover  others. 
Both  of  us  were  interested  in  the  many  birds  which  breed 
about  the  lake,  and  while  my  friend's  attention  was  also 
directed  to  lepidoptera,  I  made  some  notes  on  the  flora  of  the 
district.     The  avifauna  of  Lough  Erne  is  decidedly  rich,  and 


In  Camp  on  Lough  Erne.  1 1 1 

would  well  repay  systematic  investigation.  We  found  two 
colonies  of  Terns  breeding  (species  not  determined),  and  on 
Gay  Island  a  colony  of  lycsser  Black-backed  Gulls  {Larus 
fusctis),  and  on  Gull  Rock  a  large  colony  of  Black-headed 
Gulls  (L,  ridibundus).  The  nests  of  four  species  of  duck 
were  obtained.  Of  the  Wild  Duck  (^Anas  boscas)  two  nests 
were  found,  with  clutches  of  nine  and  seven  eggs  respectively; 
the  eggs  of  the  latter  clutch,  which  I  took,  were  still  tolerably 
fresh,  and,  of  a  dark  blue-green  tint.  Mr.  R.  J.  Ussher,  to 
whom  I  submitted  an  ^g^,  writes  that  it  belongs  to  a  rare 
and  beautiful  variety,  indistinguishable  in  size  and  colour 
from  a  set  of  Barrow's  Golden-eye  from  Iceland  in  his  collec- 
tion. Of  the  Tufted  Duck  {Fuligula  cristatd),  we  obtained  five 
or  six  nests,  with  clutches  of  from  eight  to  thirteen  eggs ;  the 
eggs  of  the  only  clutch  which  I  brought  home  were  very  hard 
set.  Four  nests  of  the  Red-breasted  Merganser  {M.  serrator) 
were  seen,  with  clutches  of  eight  to  ten  eggs :  they  were  also 
hard  set.  The  nests  in  all  the  preceding  instances  were  built 
on  the  ground  among  the  rank  grass  and  reeds,  studded  with 
bushes,  that  fringe  the  shores  of  the  islands,  the  only  excep- 
tion being  one  of  the  Mergansers,  which  was  placed  in  a 
recess  at  the  foot  of  a  tree  in  a  thickly- wooded  islet.  Of  the 
Common  Sheldrake  {Tador7ia  cormitd)  one  nest  was  found  on 
Bess  Island,  in  a  very  peculiar  position,  being  built  among 
long  grass  in  tolerably  level  ground  on  the  summit  of  the  low 
ridge  that  forms  the  backbone  of  the  little  islet.  The  nest 
was  very  slight,  a  mere  hollovv^  lined  with  a  little  grass,  and  it 
contained  two  fresh  eggs :  Mr.  Ussher  has  kindly  confirmed 
the  species.  The  only  other  nest  of  note  that  we  got  was  that 
of  a  Woodcock,  among  bracken  on  one  of  the  wooded  islands, 
containing  four  eggs  that  would  have  been  hatched  in  about 
a  week.  Though  the  Woodcock  is  generally  a  very  early 
breeder,  late  nesting  does  not  appear  unusual  with  it;  on 
July  25th,  1882,  I  found  a  nest  with  four  eggs  not  more  than 
half  incubated,  on  Slieve  Donard,  Co.  Down  :  and  I  have 
heard  of  another  nest,  asserted  to  have  been  that  of  a  Wood- 
cock, obtained  on  the  Mourne  mountains  in  the  month  of  June. 

In  repl}^  to  queries  of  my  friend  Mr.  Ussher,  I  would  say 
that  we  found  no  trace  of  either  the  Great  Black-backed  Gull 
{L.  marinus),  or  the  Common  Gull  {L.  canns),  breeding  on 
lower  lyOUgh  Erne;  and  our  boatman  stated  that  the  two 
species  {L.  fusctis  and  L.  ridibundtis)  which  we  found,  and 
which  he  called  respectively  "Horse  Gull"  and  '-Common 
Gull"  were  the  only  ones  he  had  ever  observed  breeding  in 
the  district. 

It  is,  however,  to  the  flora  of  I^ougli  Erne  that  I  wish  at 
present  to  refer.  The  botany  of  the  lake-shores  has  been 
examined  somewhat  exhaustively  by  Mr.  R.  M.  Barrington, 
the  fruits  of  his  careful  investigations  appearing  in  the  Pro- 
cecdings  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  2nd  ser.,  vol.  IV.,  (1884). 


112  The  Irish  NaUiralist. 

Mr.  Barrington  vSpent  three  weeks  in  exploring  the  upper  and 
lower  lakes,  and  the  results  of  his  enquiry  place  the  flora  of 
Lough  Erne  at  about  405  species  (omitting  the  doubtful  plants 
in  his  list,  which  are  somewhat  numerous),  showing  that  the 
district  is  fairly  productive  of  plants. 

One  thing  that  struck  me  on  our  rambles  was  the  large 
colonies  of  certain  species  that  occur  on  different  islands, 
many  of  the  islands  having  a  characteristic  plant  which  is 
more  or  less  rare  elsewhere.  Thus,  Heron  Isle  was  in  posses- 
sion of  Rhamnus  catharticus;  Dacharne  Island  yielded  a  pro- 
fuse and  luxuriant  growth  of  Solidago  virgaurea;  Inishdavar, 
Arcjiaria  trinervia;  Namanfin,  Vicia  sylvatica;  Strongbow, 
Agrimofiia  eiipatoria;  Cleenishmeen,  Eiipatoriuni  cannabinu^n. 
This  would  appear  to  show  that  the  species  in  question 
arrived  at  the  islands  subsequent  to  their  isolation  under 
present  conditions,  and  that  the  plants  have  spread  as  far  as 
the  natural  boundary  of  water  would  permit. 

The  vegetation  on  the  wooded  islands  is  remarkably  luxu- 
riant, and  we  were  frequently  struck  with  the  beauty  and 
verdure  that  surrounded  us.  As  instances  of  luxuriant 
growth  I  may  mention  that  Campanula  rotundifolia  was 
gathered  on  the  rocks  of  Heron  Isle  2  feet  8  inches  in  length, 
though  3^et  immature;  Solidago  grew  abundantly  3  to  4  feet 
high ;  and  the  size  of  the  three  species  of  LastrecB  was  remar- 
kable. Polygala  becomes  one  of  the  showiest  flowers  on  the 
lake-shore;  one  plant  bore  upwards  of  100  upright  stems,  a 
foot  in  length,  and  crowned  with  ver}^  large  deep-blue  flowers ; 
and  magnificent  snow-white  tussacks  of  Galiuvi  boreale  were 
abundant.  The  arboreal  vegetation  of  Lough  Erne  is  largely 
indigenous,  and  is  interesting  on  that  account.  Bilberry 
Island  {alias  Goat  Island)  yielded  a  characteristic  group  of 
native  trees  and  shrubs,  which  was  as  follows,  and  which 
embraces  nearl}^  all  the  indigenous  species:  Querais,  Fi^aximis^ 
Ahius,  Betula  alba,  Populus  treniula,  Corylus,  Cratcegus,  Ilex, 
Euo7iy7nus,  Rhamnus  catharticus.  Primus  aucuparia  and  malus, 
Viburnu7n  opuhis,  Salix  cinerea  and  oAirita,  Primiis  spiiiosa, 
Myrica  gale,  Rosa  spiiiosissima,  canina,  and  tomentosa.  I  see 
no  reason  whatever  to  doubt  Populus  being  indigenous. 
Mr.  Barrington  marks  it  as  "  certainly  not  native." 

Of  the  four  hundred  odd  species  recorded  by  Mr.  Barrington, 
I  noted  just  two- thirds  on  the  islands  visited  by  us ;  some 
additional  species  w^ere  found,  for  which  it  ma}^  be  worth  giving 
localities;  as  will  be  noticed,  most  of  the  plants  were  collected 
on  the  islands  in  the  central  portion  of  the  lake,  but  a  morn- 
ing row  up  the  navigable  portion  of  the  pretty  stream  at 
Ball^xassidy,  on  the  eastern  shore,  also  resulted  in  some 
additions  to  the  flora. 


hi  Camp  071  Lough  Erne.      "  113 

ADDITIONAIv  SPBCIE;S. 

Ranunculus  ficaria. — On  Lamb  Island. 

Montia  fontana. — On  Inislimacsaint  and  elsewhere. 

Hypericum  perforatum. — East  shore  of  Inishfree. 

Geranium  molle. — Shore  of  Inistoney,  which  is  one  of  the  few  of  the 
lower  islands  that  are  cultivated. 

Vicia  liirsuta. — On  the  shores  of  Inishfree  and  Long  Island. 

V.  angfustifolia. — Stony  shore  on  Inishmacsaint. 

Sarothamnus  scoparius. — Hedges  on  Inistoney;  it  appears  quite  absent 
from  the  natural  wood  and  scrub  of  the  islands,  and  Ulex  is  nearly 
equally  rare. 

Pyrus  malus. — Observed  in  a  number  of  stations,  such  as  Inishfree, 
apparentl}^  quite  native. 

Circoea  alpina. — Abundant  on  a  number  of  the  islands — Great  Paris, 
Inishmacsaint,  Dacharne  Island,  Owl  Island,  Gublusk  Island,  etc. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  it  was  included  by  Mr.  Barrington  under  C. 
hctetiana. 

iEthusa  cynapium. — Cultivated  field  by  the  Ballycassidy  River. 
*llilimulus  luteus. — On  the  lake  shore  at  Dacharne  Island,  and  near  the 
mouth  of  Ballycassidy  River. 

Mentha  sativa. — Abundant  on  the  stony  margins  of  the  islands.  This 
is  certainly  the  plant  quoted  under  "  M.  arvensis  .?  "by  Mr.  Barring- 
ton  as  common  on  the  shores  of  the  islands.  M.  arvensis  is  not 
usually  found  in  such  a  situation. 

M.  arvensis. — Cultivated  field  by  Ballycassidy  River. 

Salix  purpurea. — Banks  of  Ballycassidy  River. 

Fotamogeton  crispus. — Sparingly  in  Ballycassidy  River. 

Carex  pilulifera. — Rabbit  Island. 

C.  distans. — On  Cleenishgarve. 

Agrostis  vulgaris,  var.  pumila,  Lightfoot. — Shores  of  Hay  Island. 

Holcus  mollis. — Sparingly  on  Inishfree. 

Triodia  decumbens. — Noted  from  Inishdavar  only,  but  seen  elsewhere. 

Brachypodium  sylvaticum. — On  Rabbit  Island. 

Polypodium  vulgare,  var. — A  form  with  very  long  narrow  sharply 
serrate  lobes,  the  stipe  longer  than  the  rachis,  and  the  leafy  por- 
tion of  the  frond  about  half  as  broad  as  long,  occurred  on  rocks  on 
Cleenishmeen.  In  Co.  Antrim  this  form  occurs  with,  and  merges 
imperceptibly  into  true  deeply-pinnatifid  var.  semilacermn,  which 
latter  often  returns  to  this  form  when  under  cultivation. 

Asplenium  adiantum-nigrum.— Inishmacsaint ;  certainly  rare  in  the 
district,  but  Mr.  W.  H.  Phillips  tells  me  of  a  wall  by  the  Bally- 
shannon  road  near  Poulaphuca,  covered  with  this  species, 
A.  trichomanes,  A.  rtita-muraria,  and  Ceterach,^  the  last-named  of 
which  is  also  an  addition  to  the  flora  of  the  district. 

Selaginella  spinulosa. — Among  short  turf  on  Rabbit  Island. 

Of  the  plants  above  named,  Carex  distans  is  an  addition  to 
the  flora  of  district  x.  of  "  Cybele  Hibernica." 

The  following  additional  notes  refer  to  species  quoted  as 
rare  by  Mr.  Barrington,  and  for  which  only  one  station  is 
given  in  his  list. 

Ranunculus  penicillatus.— In  the  Ballycassidy  River. 
R.  bulbosus.— Rabbit  Island.     Decidedly  rare  in  the  district. 
Lychnis  diurna.— On  rocks  on  the  shore  of  Cleenishmeen. 
Trifolium  medium.— Owl   Island,    Inishfree,   and  abundant   on   Bess 

Island. 
Vicia  sylvatica.— Seen  by  Mr.  Barrington  on  Namanfin  only.     I  found 

it   abundantly  there  and  on  Bess  Island,  and  in  another  station 

which  I  did  not  note. 


114  The  hisk  Naturalist. 

Alchemilla  arvensis. — Pastures  on  Hay  Island. 
■  Myriophtylluin  alterniflorum. — Still  water  inside  of  Cleenishgarve. 

Callitx'iche  hamulata. — Pools  on  Ha}'  Island, 
*]VIatricaria  parthenium. — Stony  shores  of  Inistoney,  apparentl)'  quite 
naturalised  ;  there  is  a  house  on  the  island. 

Hieracium  umbellatuin  ? — A  large  colony  of  an  accipitrinous  Hawk- 
weed,  not  yet  in  flower,  was  found  on  low  and  stony  ground  at  the 
western  extremity  of  Gay  Island,  where  the  I^esser  Black-backed 
Gulls  breed.  Both  as  regards  grow^th  and  habitat  it  resembles 
the  colony  of  H.  iimbellatitm  described  by  Mr.  Barrington  as  occur- 
ring on  Isle  Namanfin  (where,  however,  I  did  not  notice  it),  and  it 
is  presumably  the  same  species.    I  brought  home  roots  to  grow. 

Solauum  dulcamara. — Little  Paris  Island,  beside  a  deserted  cottage ; 
Rabbit  Island.     Introduced  in  the  first  station. 

Scutellaria  gfalericulata. — East  side  of  Great  Paris  Island,  abundant ; 
shore  of  Gublusk  Point,  and  Cleenishmeen. 

Salix  viminalis. — Banks  of  Ballycassidy  River. 

S.  repens. — Shore  of  Gublusk  Point. 

Typha  latifolia. — Ballycassidy  River,  sparingly. 

Pestuca  sciuroides. — Hay  Island,  sparingly. 

Lastrea  semula. — Luxuriant  in  woods  on  Great  Paris  Island  and 
Inishfree. 

Osmunda  regalis. — Sparingly  on  Sally  Island,  Lamb  Island,  and 
Bilberry  Island. 

Of  Rhamnus  catharticus,  which  is  a  characteristic  plant  of 
the  Lough  Erne  islands,  a  very  coarse  form  was  gathered  on 
Strongbow  Island,  with  thicker  branches  devoid  of  spines,  and 
broadly  ovate  leaves  measuring  2  to  3  inches  in  length,  by 
2  to  2i  in  breadth ;  the  shrub  differed  much  in  appearance 
from  normal  Rhammis,  which  was  growing  near,  but  inter- 
mediate forms  occurred. 


SOME  OF  THE  BIRDS  OF  LAMBAY  ISLAND. 

BY  J.    K.   PALMER. 


It  has  been  suggested  that  a  few  observations  resulting  from 
an  excursion  to  Lamba}'  Island  in  June,  1891,  may  interest 
some  of  the  readers  of  this  Journal.  As  we  observed  nothing 
that  would  be  of  special  interest  to  ornithologists  acquainted 
with  the  island,  and  as  its  ornithology  is  well  known,  my 
remarks  will  refer  chiefly  to  the  habits  of  the  birds.  While 
some  of  the  party  returned  home  after  a  few  hours,  two  of  us 
arranged  to  be  accommodated  at  houses  on  the  ivSland,  and 
remained  there  for  two  nights. 

For  those  not  knowing  the  locality,  I  ma}^  say  that  Lambay 
Island  is  three  or  four  miles  from  the  mainland;  has  a  cir- 
cumference of  several  miles,  and  rises  to  a  height  of  a  few 
hundred  feet.  The  south-western  end  is  under  grass,  and 
slopes  to  the  shore,  but  the  greater  part  is  wild,  uncultivated 
moorland,  where  bracken,  bramble,  heather,  and  furze  figure 
largely  in  the  landscape.  A  general  idea  of  the  upland  char- 
acter of  the  island  may  also  be  gathered  from  a  knowledge  of 


Some  of  the  Birds  of  Lamb  ay  Island.  115 

its  land  birds :  the  Stonechat,  Wheatear,  Meadow  Pipit,  Linnet, 
and  Kestrel  all  make  it  their  home;  and  the  Peregrine  Falcon, 
too,  sometimes  nests  there. 

The  greater  part  of  the  coast-line  is  rocky  and  precipitous, 
and  its  crags  and  ledges  are  mostly  inaccessible  to  ordinary 
climbers.  It  is  the  rock-breeding  sea  birds — the  Kittiwake, 
Guillemot,  Razorbill,  the  two  Cormorants,  and  some  other 
species,  such  as  the  Puffin  and  Manx  Shearwater,  that  make 
the  island  interesting  to  ornithologists. 

The  Puffins  are  much  the  most  numerous  of  the  birds  found 
there.  Their  curious  appearance,  when  one  first  comes  up  to 
rows  or  groups  of  them,  invariably  attracts  attention.  They 
stand  almost  upright;  their  black-coated  backs,  large  white 
fronts,  and  their  solemn,  silent,  vigilant  demeanour  seem  to 
combine  in  giving  them  a  quaint,  odd-looking,  unbirdlike 
aspect.  Some  of  them  stand  for  hours  at  a  time  on  the  grassy 
herbage-covered  slopes,  which  stretch  upwards  above  the 
cliffs.  Probably  they  station  themselves  near  the  mouths  of 
the  burrows  where  they  nested.  The  slopes  above  the  cliffs, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  island,  are  full  of  rabbit  burrows ; 
but  the  Puffins  are  in  possession,  and  the  rabbits  have  gone  to 
other  parts  of  the  island.  These  curious  birds  watch  you  in 
their  odd  way,  without  seeming  afraid,  till  you  get  within  a 
very  few  yards  of  them,  when,  one  after  another,  they  quickly 
fly  off  in  a  downward  direction,  sometimes  to  circle  about  in 
mid  air,  and  sometimes  to  alight  on  the  water  Vjelow. 

While  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  of  Puffins  were  to  be  seen 
standing  in  small  companies  on  the  sides  of  the  hills,  many 
others  were  resting  on  the  water,  and  immense  numbers  were, 
at  the  same  time,  to  be  seen  flying  round  and  round  on  all 
sides.  The  incessant  and  rapid  beating  of  the  wings  gives  a 
quick  direct  flight  that  reminds  one  of  that  of  the  Red  Grouse. 
Businesslike  as  it  looks,  however,  there  seems  to  be  no  pur- 
pose in  it  beyond  the  pleasure  of  exercise.  After  a  good  deal 
of  it  has  been  gone  through,  the  birds  settle  down  among  their 
fellows,  and  stand  solemnly  looking  out  to  sea  for  hours. 

The  young  Puffins  are  easily  distinguished  from  the  adults, 
in  June,  not  being  quite  fully  grown,  and  being  less  proficient 
on  the  wing.  I  watched  numbers  of  them  flying  round  and 
round  over  nearly  the  same  track-,  for  a  length  of  time.  As 
they  circled  past,  one  could  see  the  use  they  made  of  their 
bright  orange  webbed  feet,  one  stretched  out  at  each  side  of 
the  tail,  to  assist  the  latter  organ  in  steering  their  course. 
They  appeared  not  always  able  to  stop  and  alight  where  they 
seemed  to  intend  to,  like  the  old  birds.  Some  came  circling 
round  towards  resting  places,  where  groups  of  others  were 
standing,  and  lowered  their  feet  to  alight,  without  being  able 
to  do  so,  owing,  apparently,  to  the  speed  at  which  they  were 

The  noise  at  one  of  these  bird  colonies  is  virtually  ceaseless 


ii6  The  Irish  Nahcralist. 

all  day  long.  It  is  kept  up  by  many  of  the  birds — at  the  time 
of  year  referred  to,  when  there  are  immense  numbers  of  3^oung 
ones — quite  irrespective  of  the  presence  of  human  visitors. 
It  was  going  on  just  the  same  when  I  approached  the  cliffs 
the  morning  after  arriving  on  the  island,  when  there  was  a 
thick  mist  which  must  have  prevented  my  being  seen.  It 
was  a  calm,  quiet  morning,  and  I  heard  the  cries  of  the  birds 
when  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  largest  colony,  and  before  I 
saw  a  single  bird. 

The  Kittiwakes  and  Herring  Gulls  were  perhaps  the  noisiest. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Kittiwakes  on  their  nests,  the  birds 
on  the  wing  seemed  to  make  most  noise.  Those  on  the  rockr 
and  on  the  grass  generall}^  remain  silent,  unless  there  is  so«" 
particular  cause  for  alarm.  Every  now  and  then  scorei  i 
Kittiwakes,  seemingly  all  in  the  vicinity,  set  up  loud  cries, 
sometimes  when  a  Cesser  Black-backed  Gull,  or  other  enemy, 
or  supposed  enemy,  came  too  near  their  nests,  and  then  after 
a  time  they  relapsed  into  silence. 

After  having  spent  the  morning  on  the  water,  fishing,  a 
number  of  Cormorants  congregated  on  one  rock — a  large 
prominent  one,  from  which  a  good  look-out  could  be  kept 
— and  rested  as  solemnl}^  and  silently  as  the  Puffins,  until 
towards  evening,  when  they  scattered  themselves  over  the 
water  again. 

Though  not  as  numerous  as  the  Puffins,  the  Kittiwakes  are 
the  most  plentiful  of  the  gulls  on  the  island.  They  are  the 
latest  with  their  nesting  operations  of  any  of  the  gulls,  not 
arriving  at  the  island  until  near  the  end  of  May.  They  v/ere 
all  busily  "sitting"  at  the  time  of  our  visit;  and  it  was 
an  interesting  sight  to  see  their  partners  feeding  the  birds 
on  the  nests.  The  latter  seemed  to  feel  the  wearisomeness  of 
continued  "sitting,"  for  now  and  then,  first  one  and  then 
another  would  stand  up  on  the  edge  of  the  nest  and  stretch 
its  wings,  or  shake  itself,  and  then  settle  down  again. 

The  Kittiwakes,  with  few  exceptions,  nest  in  compact  little 
colonies  hy  themselves,  often  so  close  together  that  neigh- 
bouring nests  and  birds  touch  each  other.  The  nests  are 
placed  on  slight  ledges,  or  on  very  small  projections  on  the 
face  of  rough  perpendicular  cliffs,  where  it  would  be  impossible 
to  obtain  a  foothold.      ^ 

With  the  exception  of  Puffins  and  Herring  Gulls,  whose 
nesting  places  are  rather  more  widel}^  scattered,  the  different 
kinds  of  sea  birds,  although  nesting  in  considerable  numbers, 
in  tolerably  close  proximity  to  each  other,  at  the  several 
breeding  places  around  the  island,  mostly  form  compact  little 
nesting  colonies  composed  of  their  own  species  only.  The 
Guillemots  and  Razorbills  nest  on  ledges,  particularly  about 
large  fissures  or  openings  in  the  cliffs;  Herring  Gulls  on 
grassy  slopes  and  ledges,  or  among  broken  rocks,  nearly 
always  in  places  where  you  can  easily  walk  up  to  the  nests ; 


Some  of  the  Birds  of  Lambay  Island.  117 

Kittiwakes  choose  .spots  such  as  might  be  thought  to  afford 
no  site  at  all  for  a  nest ;  and  the  Pufi&ns,  unlike  their  neigh- 
bours in  this,  as  in  other  respects,  nest  in  old  rabbit  burrows. 

A  company  of  Herring  Gulls  were  sadly  disturbed  one  night. 
I  had  gone  to  the  headland  at  the  north-east  of  the  island,  in 
order  to  watch,  if  possible,  the  Manx  Shearwaters,  which  I 
understand  nest  there.  Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  I  heard 
the  hoarse  cackling  cries  of  Herring  Gulls  above  me,  and  saw 
two  or  three  dozen  of  them  sailing  about  overhead.  There 
were  several  of  their  disused  nests  in  the  grassy  hollows. 
They  were  evidentl}^  wanting  to  settle  down  for  the  night  at 
heir  roosting  place,  and  so  I  was  particularly  unwelcome  just 

^n.  They  continued  their  cries,  and  remained  on  the  wing 
1  more  than  an  hour,  and  then,  as  the  darkness  slowly  be- 
came more  visible,  and  everything  else  less  and  less  distinct, 
they  gradually  became  quieter,  and  settled  down  at  a  little 
distance.  But  evidently  they  were  watchful  and  on  the 
alert,  for  as  long  as  I  remained — up  to  about  one  o'clock — 
their  alarm  notes  were  occasionally  to  be  heard. 

The  part  of  the  night  I  spent  at  the  haunt  of  the  Shear- 
waters was  not  light  enough  to  allow  of  the  birds  being  seen, 
except  occasionally,  when  one  happened  to  fly  quite  near  me ; 
and  then  all  that  could  be  discernedwasa  dark  object,  which  was 
indistinguishable  from  a  swift  or  a  bat,  and  gone  in  a  moment. 
No  trace  of  the  birds  was  to  be  found  while  any  glimmer  of 
light  lasted;  nor  did  I  discover  any  of  their  nesting  places. 
But  they  began  to  make  themselves  heard  when  signs  of  day 
had  disappeared.  Apparently  from  close  to  the  water  down 
below  me,  there  came  the  quickly  repeated  curious  cry  of  four 
syllables,  which  told  of  the  birds  of  which  I  was  in  search. 
This  was  about  twenty  minutes  to  eleven.  More  similar  notes 
soon  followed,  and  for  some  time  the  number  of  birds  coming 
out  of  their  holes,  judging  from  the  notes  heard,  was  con- 
stantly increasing.  By  midnight  it  sounded  as  though  there 
might  be  three  or  four  dozen  birds  all  uttering  their  notes 
together.  For  some  time,  at  first,  the}^  kept  down  near  the 
water,  or  at  any  rate  their  notes  only  came  from  there;  but 
after  a  while  they  took  to  flying  higher,  and  some  of  them 
passed  in  all  directions  over  the  island.  The  greater  number 
kept  about  the  rocky  headland,  but  as  I  made  my  way  back  to 
the  other  end  of  the  island,  their  cries,  though  fewer  and  fewer 
the  further  one  got  from  their  haunt,  were  to  be  heard  all 
the  way. 

Of  all  the  odd  notes  of  birds  the  curious  cry  of  the  Manx 
Shearwater  is  far  from  being  the  least  peculiar.  It  is  unlike 
that  of  any  other  bird  I  know.  At  night,  when  a  number  are 
heard  together,  it  is  almost  of  the  kind  to  bring  up,  in  some 
minds,  ideas  of  things  weird  or  uncanny;  and  it  seems  to 
suggest  a  possible  explanation  for  the  belief  in  supernatural 
beings,  which  existed  in  former  generations. 


[   ii8  ] 
PERFORATIONS   IN  CARBONIFEROUS  I.IMESTONE. 

BY  R.    F.    SCHARFF,    PH.D.,  B.SC. 


I  HAVF  been  asked  by  Mr.  Carpenter  to  make  a  few  obser- 
vations on  the  very  remarkable  perforations  which  Mr.  Owen 
Smith  discovered  in  the  Carboniferous  lyimestone  near 
Nobber,  Co.  Meath.  They  were  first  described  by  him  in 
the  June  number  of  the  Irish  Naturalist,  and  the  following 
month  notes  appeared  by  Messrs.  Fallon,  McBride,  and 
Walpole,  w^ho  had  all  seen  similar  perforated  rocks  in  different 
parts  of  the  countr3^  The  Rev.  Mr.  Close  has  also  observed 
them  by  the  side  of  Lough  Mask,  and  he  remarks  that  we 
have  to  choose  between  the  only  two  alternatives: — that 
these  perforations  have  been  produced  by  weathering  or  by 
the  action  of  a  boring  mollusc.  Mr.  Smith  is  in  favour  of  the 
latter  view,  but  most  of  the  writers  of  the  above-mentioned 
notes  are  rather  in  favour  of  their  having  been  caused  by  the 
action  of  water  on  the  limestone. 

But  when  we  consider  the  position  of  the  holes,  their 
var3dng  depth  while  the  diameter  remains  constant,  their 
upward  tendency,  their  being  confined  to  a  portion  of  the 
stone  only,  and,  as  Mr.  Smith  justly  remarks,  their  great 
"family  likeness,"  the  aqueous  theory  presents  formidable 
difiiculties.  Indeed  it  seems  to  me  impossible  to  conceive 
how  either  chemical  or  mechanical  action  of  water  could 
produce  these  perfectly  smooth  perforations  of  an  inch  in 
diameter  on  the  face  of  a  limestone  rock,  and  having  seen  the 
specimen  which  was  forwarded  to  the  Editors  of  the  Irish 
Naturalist,  I  have  not  a  doubt  that  the  explanation  given 
by  Mr.  Smith  is  the  correct  one. 

A  marine  boring  mollusc  {Pholas  crispata),  still  inhabiting 
the  Irish  Sea,  fits  exactly  into  some  of  the  holes,  and  the 
first  impulse  to  attribute  the  perforations  to  the  action  of  this 
or  an  allied  species  appears  quite  justified.  The  geological 
deductions,  moreover,  w^hich  we  can  draw  from  such  a  con- 
clusion are  so  seductive  that  it  is  difficult  to  abandon  a  theory 
of  such  important  bearings.  Pholas-borings  m  sihc  at 
Nobber,  in  such  a  fresh  condition,  mean  that  within  very 
recent  times  that  locality  must  have  been  covered  by  the  sea, 
perhaps  to  a  depth  of  200  feet,  for  the  species  of  Pholas  are 
known  to  live  at  a  depth  below  the  surface  of  the  sea  not 
exceeding  30  fathoms.  We  know  that  marine  shells  are 
found  at  an  altitude  of  about  1000  feet  in  the  Dublin  Moun- 
tains, and  the  presence  of  a  number  of  other  deposits  in 
various  parts  of  Ireland  renders  it  extremely  probable  that 
within  a  recent  geological  period  the  sea  covered  a  large 
portion  of  eastern  Ireland  at  any  rate.  In  spite  of  a  number 
of  facts  which  may  be  adduced  as  evidence  in  support  of  the 


Perforatio7is  in  Carboniferoits  Limestone.  119 

theory  that  the  Co.  Meath,  and  with  it  the  site  of  the  village 
of  Nobber,  were  submerged  beneath  the  sea  at  a  compara- 
tively recent  period,  I  venture  to  think  that,  nevertheless,  the 
perforations  in  question  are  not  due  to  the  action  of  Plwlas, 
or  any  other  marine  mollusc,  and  in  this  view  I  am  supported 
by  Prof.  Sollas. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  refer  here  to  a  discussion 
which  was  continued  for  several  3^ears  between  1869  and  1872, 
in  the  Geological  Magazine.  Lithodomous  perforations,  exactly 
similar  to  those  described  above  from  various  parts  of  Ireland, 
were  discovered  in  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  of  the  Great 
Orme's  Head  in  Wales  by  Mr.  R.  D.  Darbishire.  He  con- 
sidered them  to  have  been  formed  by  a  species  of  Pholas, 
probably  P.  crispata.  Prof.  Bonney,  in  reply  to  several  articles 
on  the  same  subject,  figures  a  number  of  sections  of  the 
supposed  pholas  burrows  which  show  clearly  that  they  could 
not  have  been  produced  by  that  or  any  other  marine  mollusc. 
Moreover,  in  a  great  many  of  the  holes  he  found  living 
specimens  of  Helix  aspersa,  and  he  comes  to  the  irresistible 
conclusion  that  the  perforations  "are  not  the  weathered 
burrows  of  departed  Pholades,  but  have  been,  and  are  being 
hollowed  out  by  Helices,  the  principal,  if  not  the  only  agent 
being  Helix  aspersa.''^ 

But  not  alone  in  England  have  these  perforations  in  the 
Limestone  been  observed  and  recorded.  In  a  paper  entitled 
"Observations  sur  les  Helices  Saxicaves  du  Boulonnais"  M. 
Bouchard-Chantereaux  describes  similar  excavations  at  great 
length.  He  watched  them  for  many  years  with  great  care, 
and  measured  their  progress  from  time  to  time,  which  left  in 
his  mind  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  they  were  made  by  snails. 
He  found  that  if  he  removed  the  snail,  whilst  in  the  act  of 
perforating  the  limestone,  the  exudation  from  the  mouth 
reddened  litmus  paper,  showing  the  secretion  was  then  of  an 
acid  nature.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  the  perforating 
action  is  mainly  a  chemical  one,  though  the  mechanical  action 
of  the  snail's  tongue,  which  is  like  a  little  rasp,  must  assist  it 
in  the  work  to  some  extent. 

Helix  aspersa  is  a  very  common  snail  in  most  parts  of 
Ireland,  and  I  believe,  considering  the  evidence  we  have 
before  us,  that  the  burrows  in  the  Carboniferous  Limestone 
discovered  by  Mr.  Smith  in  the  Co.  Meath  are  not  only  due  to 
the  action  of  that  mollusc,  but  are  being  produced  by  it  at 
the  present  day. 

The  perforation  in  the  stone  from  the  harbour-bed  at  West- 
port,  sent  by  Mr.  McBride,  is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  action 
of  a  species  of  Pholas. 


[     I20    ] 

THE    COI.KOPTKRA    OF    THE    ARMAGH    DISTRICT. 

BY   RE:v.    W.    F.   JOHNSON,    M.A.    F.EJ.S. 


( Continued  from  page  99.) 
CRYPTOPHAGID^. 

Telmatophilus    caricis,    01. — dowry's    Lough,   sweeping  Carex,   etc. — 

pretty  common. 
T.  schonherri,  Gyll.— Mullinure,  by  sweeping— rare. 
Cryptophag-us     setulosus,     Sturm.— Mullinure,     by    sweeping— pretty 

common. 
C.  saginatus,  Sturm.— Mullinure— rare. 

C.  umbratus,  Er. — Mullinure,  in  moss  and  by  sweeping — not  common. 
C.  scanicus,  Iv.  )       „  ^,  -l.      .  a-  ^  •  ^ 

var.  patruelis.  Sturm.     }      Common  throughout  district. 

C.  affinis,  Sturm. — Mullinure,  in  flood-rubbish — rare. 

Micrambe  vini,  Panz. — Foil}-,  Drummanbeg  Lake,  in  moss — common. 

Atomaria  diluta,  Er. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — not  common. 

A.  fumata,  Er. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss— rare. 

A.  barani,  Bris. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss. 

A.  fuscipes,  Gyll. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss — rare. 

A.  nigripennis,  Payk. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

A.    fuscata,   Sch. — Dean's    Hill,    Folly,    Mullinure,    in    moss    and    by 

sweeping — pretty  common. 
A.  atra,  Herbst. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 
A.  pusilla,  Payk. — Mullinure,  Little  Castledillon,  in  moss,  flood-rubbish, 

and  by  sweeping — rare. 
A.  basalis,  Er. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss,  etc. 
A.  mesonislas,  Herbst. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss— rare. 
A.  g'utta,  Steph. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — pretty  common. 
Ephistemus  globosus,  Waltl. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 
E.    gyrinoides,   Marsh. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough,  in   moss  and  by 

sweeping — pretty  common. 


MYCETOPHAGID^. 

Typhsea  fumata,  L. — Mullinure,  sweeping — rare. 


DE^RMESTID^. 

Attagfenus  pellio,  L. — A  single  specimen  on  my  study  table. 


BYRRHID^. 

Cjrtilus  varius,  F.  (    Common  throughout  district,  in  moss, 


.F.     } 


Simplocaria  semistriata,  F.     /  and  flood-rubbish 


P  A  R  N  I  D  ^. 

Limxiius  tuberculatus,  Miill. — Common  throughout  district,  in  streams. 
Farnus  prolifericornis,  F.— Common  throughout  district,  at  edges  of 
ponds,  etc. 

I^AMEIyl/ICORNIA. 

Dorcus  parallelopipedus,  L.— One  specimen  brought  to  me  many  years 

ago  by  one  of  my  pupils. 
Aphodius  fossor,  L. 

A.  fimetarius,  L.         J    Common  throughout  district,  in  stercore  bovino. 
A.  ater,  De  G. 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Armagh  District.  121 

Aphodius  rufescens,  F. — Dean's  Hill— rare.     It  occurs  very  freely  on 

the  coast. 
A.  merdarius,  F.— Dean's  Hill,  Beech  Hill — not  common. 
A.  prodromus,  Brahm.  \      r^  ^.i,         1       ^  t  .  •  . 

A.  contaminatus,  Herbst.        )      Common  throughout  district. 

A.  obliteratus,  Panz. — Lowry's  Ivougli — rare. 

a:  lepJes'su";;  Kug.        }     Common  throughout  district. 
Geotrupes  stercorarius,  L. — Common  throughout  district, 
Serica  brunnea,  L. — Dean's  Hill — rare. 
Melolontha  vulgaris,  F. — Occurs  at  intervals,  but  not  in  numbers. 


SERRICORNIA. 
Cryptohypnus  riparius,  F.      \ 

Athous  hsemorrhoidalis,  F.     f  Common   throughout   district,  by 
Adrastus  limbatus,  F.  i         sweeping. 

Agriotes  obscurus,  Iv.  / 

Dolopius  marginatus,  I/. — Loughgall,  in  Manor  Demesne — rare. 
Corymbites  cupreus,  F. 

^-  ^:p.^^Se...,  Staph,  j  ^°™m*rw?°"  '^="'"'  "'  ^^^^^^ 
Helodes  mmuta,  \,.  \  ^ 

H.  margfiixata,  F  ' 

Microcara  livida,  F.,  var.  bohemanni,  Mannh. — Mullinure — by  sweep- 
ing— not  common. 
Cyphon  variabilis,  Thunb. — Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 

SPond  near   railway   in    Drummanmore ; 
both  by  sweeping  Fersicaria,  etc.,  the 
latter  is  much  less  plentiful  than  the 
former. 
Telephorus  bicolor,  F.    \ 

T.  hsemorrlioidalis,  F.     >  Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 
T.  flavilabris,  Fall.  ) 

T.  thoracicus,  01.— Loughgall,  by  sweeping— rare. 

EibLagonyclia  fulva,  Scop.      "1    Common  throughout  district,  by  sweep- 
It.  limbata,  Thoms.  )  ing. 
Kr.    pallida,    F. — Drummanbeg    L^ake,, ^Mullinure,    by    sweeping — not 

common. 
Malthinus  punctatus,  Fourc. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping — not  common. 
Malthodes  marginatus,  Latr. — Dean's  Hill,  Mullinure,  by  sweeping — 

not  common. 
Ptinus  fur,  L. — Cathedral  Grammar  Schoolroom — rare. 
Niptus  hololeucus,  Fald. — In  houses — common. 
N.  crenatus,  F. — One  specimen  in  an  old  house. 

Priobium  castaneum,  F.— Mullinure,  Palace  Demesne,  sweeping— rare. 
Anobium  domesticum,  Fourc. — In  picture  frames,  etc. — common. 

Cis  boleti.  Scop.      |  PalaceDemesne,IvOwry's  Lough,  in  ^<?/<f/2 — common. 
C.  bidentatus,  01.   j  »  ./  &   » 

Octotemnus  glabriculus,  Gyll.— Mullinure.  Palace  Demesne— in  moss 
and  Boleti — common. 


r^ONGICORNIA. 

Pogonochserus  bidentatus,   Thorns.— A  single  specimen  taken  by  Mrs. 
Johnson  in  the  Loughgall  Manor  grounds. 

PHYTOPHAGA. 

Bruchus  atomarius,  L.— Mullinure,  sweeping— common. 

Donacia  dentata,  Hoppe.— Drumbee,  Mullinure,  sweeping,  and  on  water 

plants — rare. 
D.  dentipes,  F. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  in  moss — rare. 


122  The  Irish  Na  tu  ra  list. 

Donacia  limbata,  Panz  {lemnce,^  F.)  \  Common  throughout  district, 

D.  simplex,  F.,  S^st£nt  (hneans,  Hoppe.)  ^^- 

D.  vulgaris,  Zsch.  {typhce,  Ahr.)  ;  -^  ' 

D.  semicuprea,  Panz.  {simplex,  F.) — Mullinure — rare. 

D.  sericea,  Iv.  — Ivoughnashade — rare. 

Lema  lichenis,  Voet. — Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 

Chrysomela  staphylea,  L.  |  Common  throughout  district. 

C  polita,  L.  I  ^ 

C.  hyperici,  Forst. — Quarr}^  near  Grange,  on  Hypcriaim  perforahim — rare. 

G-astroidea  viridula,  De  G.  {raphani,  Herbst.)  Common  throughout 
district,  on  Riimex. 

Fliaedou  tumidulus,   Germ.  \  Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping 

P.  armoracise,  L.  )      and  in  moss. 

Fhyllodecta  vitellinse,  L. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  I^ough — common  on 
willows. 

Hydrothassaniargfinella,  L.  ~j   Common   throughout    dis- 

Prasocuris  junci,  Brahm.  {beccabungcB,  111.)  >        trict,      sweeping     water 

P.  phellaudrii,  L.  )        plants,    and   in   moss. 

Loclixiiaea  cratsegi,  Forst. — Dean's  Hill — rare. 

Galerucella  nymphsese,  ly. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  sweeping — 
common. 

G-.  lineola,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  on  sallows — plentiful. 

G.  calmariensis,  L. — Mullinure,  sweeping — rare. 

G.  tenella,  L. — Loughgall,  Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  sweeping — 
common, 

Adimonia  tanaceti,  L. — A  single  specimen  on  the  footpath  near  the 
railway  station. 

Long'itarsus  pulex,  Schrank. — Common  throughout  district. 

L.  ater,  F.  {parviclus,  Payk.) — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

L.  liolsaticus,  L. — Loughnashade,  in  moss — rare. 

Ii.  luridus,  Scop. — Common  throughout  district,  sweeping,  and  in  moss. 

L.  brunneus,  Duft — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — rare. 

L.  atricillus,  L. — Common  throughout  district,  sweeping,  and  in  moss. 

Ii.  patruelis,  All — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — rare. 

Ii.  melanocephalus,  All. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough,  sweeping — rare. 

Xi.  piciceps,  Step. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — rare. 

Ii.  exoletus,  L. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping  and  in  moss — not  common. 

L.  pusillus,  Gryll. — Mullinure,  in  moss  and  flood  rubbish — plentiful. 

L.  jacobsesBjWat. — Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 

L.  gracilis,  Kuts. — Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 

PhyllotretaTindulata,  Kuts. — Common  throughout  district,  by  sweeping. 

P.  nemorum,  L. — Mullinure,  in  moss  and  sweeping — not  common. 

P.  exclaxnationis,  Thurb. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss,  etc. 

Aphthona  nonstriata,  Goeze. — Palace  Demesne,  on  Iris  pseudacorus — 
plentiful. 

A.  atratula,  All. — Loughnashade,  in  moss,  one  specimen. 

Spliseroderxna  testaceum,  F.— Common  throughout  district,  sweeping. 

Apteropoda  orbiculata,  Marsh.— Common  throughout  district,  sweep- 
ing and  in  moss. 

Mantura  chrysantlienii,  Koch. — Vicar's  cairn,  in  moss,  one  specimen. 
I  have  taken  several  in  moss  from  Dead  Man's  Hill,  near  Newtown- 
Hamilton. 

Crepidodera  transversa,  Marsh.  |    Common    throughout    district,    by 

C.  ferruginea,  Scop.  j        sweeping. 

C.  rufipes,  L. — A  single  specimen  in  Mullinure,  by  sweeping. 

C.  ventralis,  111. — Mullinure,  Drummanbeg  Lake,  sweeping — rare. 

C.  helizines,  L. — Lowry's  Lough,  beating  sallows,  one  specimen. 

C.  aurata,  Marsh. — Mullinure,  Lowry's  Lough,  beating  sallows,  not 
common. 

Plectroscelis  concinna,  Marsh. — Common  throughout  district,  sweeping 
and  in  moss. 


The  Coleoptera  of  the  Armagh  District.  123 

Fsylliodes  chrysocephala,  L.— Mullinure,  sweeping— rare. 

P.   napi,   Koch. — Common  throughout   district,   by    sweeping    and  in 

moss. 
P.  cuprea,  Koch. — Palace  Demesne,  in  moss,  one  specimen. 
P.   chalcomera,    111. — MuUinure,    Drummanbeg    lyake,    sweeping — not 

common. 
P.  picina,  Marsh. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping  and  in  flood  rubbish — pretty 

common. 
Cassida  flaveola,  Thunb. — Mullinure,  in  moss— rare. 
C.  equestris,  F.  j  Mullinure,  Ivowry's  lyough,  in  moss  and  by  sweeping, 
C.  viridis,  F.       )      especially  on  Mentha — pretty  common. 

(TO   BE   CONTINUED.) 


NOTES 


BOTANY. 


FUNGI. 

Fungi  from  Lucan  and  Bray  Districts.  During  a  short  residence 
at  Ballyowen  House,  near  Lucan,  Co.  Dublin,  in  the  beginning  of  June, 
I  met  with  the  following  species  :  Agaricus  [Pholiotd)  capistraUis,  Cooke,  on 
old  stumps,  Ballyowen;  A.  (Ph.)  rmitabilis ;  Pamis  torulosus ;  Polyporus 
sqiiamosus,  Fr. ;  P.  obducens,  Fr. ;  and  P.  sulfureus,  Fr. ;  Doedalea  unicolor,  Fr. ; 
Stemonitis  fusca,  Roth ;  and  S.  ferrtighiea,  Bhrb. ,  on  stumps,  Ballyowen  ; 
the  Plasmodia  of  these  species  were  white  and  delicate  pink  respectively 
and  the  specimens  found  were  of  very  large  size ;  Retictilaria  U7nbrina,  Fr., 
same  locality,  the  specimens  were  of  great  size,  one  on  the  cut  surface  of 
an  old  stump  being  six  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base  of  the  peridium ; 
Didymhun  furfiiraceum,  Fr.,  same  locality;  Peziza  {Lachnea)  near  bulbocrinita, 
Phil.,  on  dead  umbelliferous  stems,  Ballyowen-lane  (I  am  not  sure  of 
this  species  as  it  differs  from  Phillips'  in  the  colour  of  the  hairs  which  are 
tawny  yellow) ;  Peronospora  effusa,  Grev.  on  spinach  in  garden ;  P. 
schleideniana,  De  By.,  on  Allium  ursinu7n^  Lucan  demesne ;  P.  nivea, 
Ung.  on  CEgopodnwi  podagraria,  I^ucan  demesne;  P.  lamii,  De  By.,  on  L. 
purpureum  in  Ballyowen-lane ;  Uromyces  dactylidis,  Otth.,  oecidiospores 
on  Ranunculus  bulbosus,  field  in  front  of  Ballyowen  House ;  Puccinia  galii, 
Pers.,  oecidiospores  on  G.verum  inEsker  old  churchyard;  Uyvinyces  geranii, 
D.  C,  uredo-  and  teleuto-spores  on  G.  molle  in  Bsker  old  churchyard, 
oecidiospores  not  found ;  Puccinia  caricis,  Schum.,  oecidiospores  on  Urtica 
dioiea,  abundant  in  Ballyowen-lane  ;  P.  pimpinella,  Strauss,  teleuto-spores, 
abundant  in  Lucan  demesne;  P.  poarum,  Nielsen,  oecidiospores  and  sper- 
mogonia  on  Ticssilago farfara,  abundant;  P.  glonierata,  Grev.,  on  leaves  and 
petioles  of  SenecioJacobcEa,  Lucan  demesne,  north  side  of  river. 

I  have  collected  and  identified  the  following  species,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bray,  during  the  last  month:  Agaricus\A7nanita)  vaoinahis,  Bull,  in  Bray 
Head  firwood ;  A.  {Amanita)  rubescens,  Pen.,  the  commonest  agaric  in  the 
firwood,  Bray  Head;  A.  {Hebeloma)  geophyllus,  Sow.,  same  place;  Coprimis 
radiatus,  Fr.,  same  place,  abundant;  Cortinarius  {Dermocybe)  uliginosus. 
Berk.,  Gomphidius  viscidus,  Fr.,  firwood  in  Glencree;  Pussula  integra,  Fr. 
Bray  Head  firwood  ;  Lactarius  deliciosus,  Fr.  Bray  Head ;  Boletus  flavus. 
With.,  same  place,  abundant;  B.  granulatus,  Linn.,  same  place;  B. 
lariciniis,  Berk.,  roadside  between  Kilruddery  and  Boghall;  Polyporus 
armeniacus  ?  Berk.  ;  Apyrenium  lignatile,  Fr. ;  Phallus  impudictis^  L.,  abun- 
dant ;  Arcyria  incarnata,  P.  ;  Ascobolus  furfuraceus,  Pers. ;  Peziza  granulata, 
Fr. ;  Phacidititn  trifolii,  Bond.  ;  Peronospora  irifolioriwi,  De  By.,  all  Bray 
Head  ;  Puccinia  variabilis,  Grev.,  oecidio-  and  teleuto-spores,  on  same  leaf, 
Bray   Head,   south    side  :     P.   taraxaci,    Plow.,    much    commoner    than 


124  ^^^  Irish  Naturalist. 

preceding  species ;  P.  hieracii,  Schum.,  on  various  Cornpositce,  very  common : 
in  one  case  found  mixed  with  small  purplish  sori  consisting  of  purplish 
spores  much  more  minute  than  those  of  any  uredine,  and  distinctly  reni- 
form,  the  entire  plant  {Carduus  arvensis)  was  covered  with  these  sori, 
and  with  -the  uredospores  and  spermogonia  of  P.  hie^-acii;  P.  centaurece, 
Mart. ;  P.  annularis,  on  Teiicrium  scorodonia,  scarce,  Bray  Head  ;  Phragmi- 
diutn  rubi,  Pers.,  Bray  Head;  P.  subcorticatum,  Schrank.,  near  Delgany; 
CEcidiiim peridymeni,SQ.\iMm..,  scarce;  Uromyces  anthyllidis,Qrr^\.',  U.  rinnicis, 
Schum.  ;  Coleosporhwi  senecionis  ;  C.  sonchi,  Pers.,  common  on  various  host- 
plants  ;  Melampsora  lini,  Pers.  abundant,  all  Bray  Head ;  M.  helioscopice, 
Pers.,  Ravenswell,  abundant;  M.  betulina,  Glencree,  uredo  only;  Urocystis 
anet?iones,  Pers.,  on  Ranunculus  aais,  Bray  Head  swamp ;  Protomyces  macros- 
porus,  Unger,  on  CEgopodium  podograria,  Ravenswell. — E.  J.  M'Weeney, 
Dublin. 


PHANEROGANS. 

Rediscovery  of  Rubus  chamoemorus  in  Irei<and. — Rzibits  chamce- 
morus  has  not  been  gathered  in  Ireland  since  1826.  Its  claims  to  be 
considered  a  native  plant  are  discussed  in  detail  by  Mr.  A.  G.  More,  in 
the  July  number  of  the  Journal  of  Botany  (vol.  i.  p.  105).  It  has  been 
searched  for  in  vain  by  many  botanists  during  the  past  sixty-six  years. 
Stimulated  by  Mr.  More's  letter,  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger  again  attempted 
to  find  this  species  and  records  his  failure  in  the  Jourttal  of  Botany  for 
August.  On  the  loth  of  that  month  we  made  a  careful  examination  of 
portion  of  the  Sperrin  range  IjHng  west  from  Dart,  and  returned  in 
triumph,  having  discovered  a  small  patch  oi  Rubus  chamcemorus  in  district 
X.  of  "  Cybele  Hibernica,"  and  a  still  smaller  patch  in  district  XII. 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulty  which  it  is  believed  any  botanist  would 
find  in  detecting  the  exact  locality,  it  is  prudent  not  to  diclose  it  further. 
The  species  occurs  so  sparingly,  and  has  apparently  such  a  keen  struggle 
for  life  amid  Sphagnum,  heather,  etc.,  that  no  effort  should  be  spared  to 
protect  one  of  the  rarest  and  most  interesting  Irish  Alpine  plants. — 
H.  C.  Hart,  Carrablagh  ;  Richard  M.  Barrington,  Bray. 

Pi^ANTS  OF  Lough  ShEEWN.  In  the  spring  of  1885  I  spent  a  few  days 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lough  Sheelin,  which  lies  on  the  borders  of 
counties  Cavan,  Meath,  and  Westmeath,  with  Longford  closely  adjoining. 
Though  my  time  was  engaged  otherwise  than  in  botanizing,  a  few 
plants  were  collected,  which  may  be  worth  recording,  considering  the 
incompleteness  of  our  knowledge  of  the  flora  of  some  of  the  central 
counties.  Lough  Sheelin  forms  the  junction  of  districts  V.,  VII.,  and 
X.  of  "Cybele  Hibernica";  I  have  added  to  each  station  the  number  of 
the  district  in  which  it  is  situated. 

Ranunculus  trichophyllus,  Chaix.,  River  Inny  below  Lough  Kinale  (VII.); 
R.  heterophyllus,  Fries,  and  R.  peltatus.  Fries,  River  Inny  below  Lough 
Kinale  (VII.);  Arabis  hirsuta,  R.  Br.,  edge  of  platform  at  Cavan  railway 
station  (X.);  Draba  verna,  L.,  ditch-bank  by  roadside  at  Rock  of  Carrick, 
north  of  Finnea  (X.);  Viola  odoraia,  L.,  banks  at  Abbeylara  (VII.),  Ross 
Castle  (V.),  and  Bracklagh  (X.);  Geranium  lucidum,  L.,  limestone  cliffs  at 
Rockland,  half-way  between  Lough  Sheelin  and  Castlepollard  (VII.); 
Saxifraga  tridactylites,  L.,  on  blocks  of  limestone  below  cliffs  at  Rockland, 
south  of  Lough  Sheelin  (VII.);  Cartctn  carui,  L.,  in  a  railwa}- ballast  pit 
at  the  southern  end  of  Lough  Kinale  (VII.):  Andromeda  polifolia,  L., 
abundant  on  a  bog  on  the  southern  margin  of  Lough  Kinale  (VII.); 
Lamiicm  albuvi,  L.,  on  both  sides  of  the  River  Inny  at  Finnea  (VII.  and 
X.);  Primula  vens,  L.,  many  spots  around  Lough  Sheelin  (V.,  VII.,  and 
X.);  Lastrca  ccmula,  Brack.,  roadsides  south  of  Scrabby,  b}^  the  River 
Brne  (VII.  and  X.);  Polystichum  aculeattim,  Roth.,  plentiful  on  roadsides 
a  mile  west  of  Abbeylara  (VII.);  Bovista  nigrescens,  P.,  woods  near  Ross 
Castle  (V.);  Lycoperdon  saccatum,  Vahl.,  wood  west  of  Ross  Castle  (V.) 

Ranunculus  peltatus  and  Viola  odoraia  do  not  appear  to  have  been 
previously  recorded  from  district  VII. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 


Notes.  125 

Thk  Shamrock  of  Irei^and.  Mr.  Colgan's  paper  in  the  August 
number  of  this  Journal  is  of  considerable  and  general  interest.  Would 
it  liot  be  possible  to  take  a  much  more  extended  plebiscite  than 
that  which  the  author  carried  out,  by  means  of  the  Irish  Naturalist, 
which  has  readers  in  every  part  of  this  country- .?  There  should  be  no 
difficulty  in  getting  authenticated  specimens  of  shamrock  from  every 
county  in  Ireland — indeed,  almost  from  every  barony — at  or  about  next 
St.  Patrick's  Day,  and  we  are  sure  that  Mr.  F.  \V.  Moore  would  gladly 
grow  the  specimens  at  Glasnevin  Gardens,  in  case  Mr,  Colgan  is  not 
prepared  to  undertake  such  a  large  order.  The  editors  of  the  Irish 
Naturalist  will  certainly  be  only  too  pleased  to  render  all  the  assist- 
ance in  their  power,  should  Mr.  Colgan  decide  on  prosecuting  his 
interesting  inquiry.  In  this  district  (North  Down),  Trifolium  minus  is 
always  regarded  as  the  true  shamrock,  but  a  luxuriant  specimen,  or  one 
in  flower,  is  generally  discarded  as  an  impostor. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 

The  Fi^ora  of  the  SpeRRIN  Mountains.  In  the  Journal  of  Botany 
for  August  I  made  some  remarks  on  Prof.  Murphy's  unverified  record  of 
Rubus  chamcejnorus  on  the  Sperrin  Mountains,  on  the  borders  of  Tyrone 
and  Derry,  and  described  a  two  days'  hunt  that  I  made  for  the  plant  in 
July  last.  Mr.  W.  D.  Donnan  and  I  searched  carefully  all  the  summits 
to  the  west  of  Dart  without  success.  The  vegetation  of  these  mountains 
is  very  limited,  and  mountain  plants  are  conspicuously  rare.  The  only 
plant  found  which  is  worthy  of  record  was  Carex  liinosa,  which  we 
obtained  on  the  marshy  margins  of  Lough  Ouske,  in  the  counties  of 
Derry  and  Tyrone.  It  is  an  addition  to  the  flora  of  district  X.  of  "Cybele 
Hibernica,"  and  also  to  the  flora  of  Co.  Derry. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 

Clematis  vitalba,  L.,  on  The  North  Bui.i.,  Doi.i.ymount,  Co. 
Dubinin.  It  maybe  of  interest  to  note  that  the  "Traveller's  joy"  has 
established  itself  amongst  the  sand-hills,  growing  with  Triticuvi  junceum 
and  Elymus  arenarius.  It  is  also  found  at  Drumleck  on  the  opposite  Hill 
of  Howth,  and  on  the  sand-hills  at  Portraine,  and  at  several  inland 
stations.  It  is  a  very  doubtful  native,  however.  The  Dollymount  plant 
was  growing  near  a  bank  of  Convolvulus  soldanella  which  was  in  full  bloom 
on  the  ist  of  August,  and  this  alone  was  worth  going  to  look  at. — David 
McArdle,  Glasnevin. 


ZOOLOGY 


INSECTS. 

Malachius  bipustulatus,  L.,  in  Irfi^and.  On  the  6th  of  June  last  I 
obtained,  by  sweeping,  a  female  specimen  of  this  pretty  beetle,  in  a 
demesne  near  Lucan.  I  believe  it  is  an  addition  to  the  Irish  list. — 
J.  N.  Halbert,  Dublin. 

Psederus  riparius,  L.,  in  Irei^and.  This  beautiful  little  rove-beetle, 
new,  I  believe,  to  Ireland,  was  taken  last  month  by  Dr.  ScharfF  at  Derry- 
nane,  Co.  Kerry. — G.  H.  Carpenter. 

Abundance  of  Epinephile  hyperanthes  in  Co.  Donegai,.  The 
sudden  appearance  in  large  numbers  of  a  particular  species  of  insect,  in 
a  locality  where  it  is  not  usually  found,  is  a  sufficiently  familiar  event, 
but  one  that  can  never  lose  its  interest  to  entomologists.  An  instance  of 
this  kind  is  now  afforded  by  the  Ringlet  Butterfly  {Epinephile  hyperanihes) 
which  has  this  summer  again  become  abundant  in  the  woods  of  Kilderry, 
Co.  Donegal,  where  it  had  not  been  observed  since  i860,  in  which  year  it 
was  also  abundant.  Mr.  D.  Campbell,  of  Ballinagard,  informs  me  that  he 
has,  during  this  long  interval,  taken  just  one  specimen  there.  This  is  a 
weak-winged  insect,  that  flits  about  among  the  undergrowth  of  woods, 
and  seems  quite  incapable  of  any  long  flight.  How  is  its  sudden  re- 
appearance, after  so  many  years,  to  be  accounted  for.?— W.  E.  Hart, 
Kilderry,  Co.  Donegal. 

Vannessa  cardui  at  Armagh.      On  June  8th,  I  saw  a  specimen  of 


126  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

this  handsome  butterfly  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  J.  M.  Watters,  and  shortly 
afterwards  another  made  its  appearance  in  a  different  part  of  the  town. 
It  is  several  years  since  I  have  seen  it  here. — Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson, 
Armagh. 

MOLLUSCA. 

Limax  flavus  in  The  West  of  IrEEAND.  In  the  Irish  Naturalist 
for  last  month,  Dr.  Scharff,  in  his  interesting  paper  on  our  Land  and 
Freshwater  Mollusca,  says  that  he  "has  not  met  with  Luna  x  flavus  on 
the  west  coast."  I  have  to  record  it  from  Enniscrone,  Co.  Sligo,  where 
it  is  found  in  the  larders  and  pantries  of  several  of  the  bathing  lodges, 
causing  no  small  disgust  when  found  in  the  bread  crocks.  Z.  flavus  was 
not  included  in  those  I  mentioned  and  sent  to  Dr.  Scharff,  as  I  have  never 
got  it  here  at  Moy  View.  I  have  heard  that  it  is  numerous  at  Glen  Lodge, 
the  residence  of  Mr.  A.  Ormsby,  near  Ballina,  but  I  have  not  seen  it  from 
that  locality. — Amy  Warren,  Moy  View,  Ballina. 


BIRDS. 

Occurrence  of  the  Wood-wren  (Phylloscopus  sibilatrix)  in  Co. 

Wexford.  In  the  last  issue  of  the  Irish  Naturalist,  Mr.  C.  B.  Moffat 
asks  if  the  Wood-wren  has  ever  been  known  to  occur  in  the  Co.  Wexford. 
It  has  never,  to  my  knowledge,  been  either  obtained  in  or  reported  from 
this  county,  and  its  addition  to  our  list  by  my  friend  Mr.  Moffat  is  very 
welcome. — G.  E-  H.  Barrett-Hamilton. 

IvONG-EARED  Owe  (Asio  otus).  On  April  loth,  while  walking  through 
a  thick  wood,  in  a  particularly  shady  and  dark  part,  I  noticed  a  fine  spe- 
cimen of  the  Ivong-eared  Owl  perched  on  a  fir-tree.  Searching  the  locality 
carefully,  the  nest,  evidentl}'  one  formerly  occupied  by  a  Hooded  Crow, 
was  discovered  in  the  ivy  covering  the  trunk  of  a  larch.  One  ^g^,,  of  a 
dirty  white,  lay  in  it:  it  measured  1.75  inch  x  1.40  inch  (long  and 
short  diameters),  and  contained  a  young  one  almost  completely  hatched. 
I  have  never  seen  this  bird  in  Co.  Cork  before,  and  do  not  know  whether 
its  occurrence  here  is  rare  or  not. — G.  E.  Donovan,  Timoleague,  Co.  Cork. 

[According  to  Mr.  A.  G.  More  this  bird  is  common  and  resident  through- 
out the  country. — Eds.] 

ICEEAND  GuEE  (Larus  leucopterus)  in  KinsaeE  Harbour.  It  may 
be  of  interest  that  I  observed  an  immature  specimen  of  the  Iceland  Gull 
in  Kinsale  Harbour,  on  May  15th  among  some  Herring  Gulls. — H. 
L/Cyborne  Popham  (in  Zoologist  for  July). 

Ivory  Guee  (Larus  eburneus)  in  Dubein. — In  the  Zoologist  for  July, 
Mr.  R.  Warren  expresses  his  opinion  that  the  Gull  recorded  in  the  June 
number  of  that  journal  (and  /.  N.,  p.  83),  was  an  Iceland  Gull,  and  not  an 
Ivory  Gull,  and  states  his  reasons. 

Ruddy  Sheedrake  (Tadorna  rutila)  in  Co.  Donegae.  In  the 
Zoologist  for  August,  Mr.  J.  Steele  Elliott  records  having  received  a  female 
Ruddy  Sheldrake  from  Co.  Donegal.  It  was  shot  at  the  end  of  June  last, 
and  was  one  of  a  flock  of  twenty.     The  locality  is  not  given. 

Shoveeeer  (Spatula  clypeata)  Breeding  in  Co.  WestmeaTh.  In 
the  Zoologist  for  August,  a  note  is  contributed  by  Mrs.  Francis  J.  Battersby, 
recording  the  nest  of  a  Shoveller  with  eight  eggs  in  a  field  near  Glen 
Lough,  Rathowen,  Co.  Westmeath. 

The  Corn-Crake  (Crex  pratensis).  I  wonder  if  any  readers  can 
record  such  disastrous  consequences  to  Corncrakes'  nests  as  fell  to  my 
experience  this  year.  Within  a  circle  of  a  quarter-mile  radius  I  found 
seven  nests  with  from  nine  to  twelve  eggs  in  each.  They  were  all  on 
land  being  depastured  by  cattle.  Of  these  No.  i  was  early  destroyed,  a 
cow  having  lain  upon  it.  No.  2  was  trodden  down  by  cattle  when  birds 
were  almost  hatched.  No.  3  suffered  same  fate.  No.  4  I  lost  all  trace  of. 
No.   5,  young  birds  safely  brought  out.     No.  6,  I  did  not  actually  see 


Notes,  127 

brood  hatched,  but  believe  it  was,  as  the  nest  did  not  seem  disturbed,  and 
I  found  young  birds  afterwards  in  the  neighbourhood ;  they  may,  how- 
ever, have  belonged  to  No.  5  nest,  which  was  only  thirty  yards  away. 
No.  6  nest  was  peculiar,  being  built  in  furze,  and  when  I  found  it  one 
bird  was  on  the  nest  and  the  other  sitting  calling  at  doorway  of  a  little 
tunnel  about  nine  inches  long,  which  led  to  nest.  No.  7,  some  young 
hatched,  but  I  think  not  all.  Thus,  out  of  seven  broods,  four  were  de- 
stroyed, and  three  were  successful,  at  least  partially.  Cattle  did  the 
mischief  to  the  Crakes'  nests,  but  a  Meadow  Pipit's,  which  I  found  in  same 
circle,  was,  I  believe,  robbed  by  boys,  as  two  eggs  first  disappeared,  and, 
ten  days  after,  the  other  two  were  taken.  With  regard  to  the  Corncrakes, 
I  came  rather  suddenly  upon  a  brood  one  morning,  and  the  old  bird  ran 
oflf  keeping  within  ten  yards  of  me,  and  calling  not  at  all  unlike  a  par- 
tridge. Upon  another  occasion,  a  crake  with  young  flew  at  my  dog,  and 
did  not  fly  off  until  she  saw  me.  It  is  the  only  time  I  have  seen  this 
occur.  I  have  also  come  upon  mother  and  young  in  the  early  morning, 
apparently  sunning  themselves  in  short  dry  grass,  and  it  is  wonderful  in 
what  an  incredibly  short  time  the  little  black  balls  disappear  in  all  direc- 
tions when  disturbed,  the  mother  darting  off"  first,  and  lea\dng  them  to 
look  after  themselves.— J.  H.  H.  Swiney. 


MAMMALS, 

Breeding  Habits  of  the  Otter  (Lutra  vulgaris),  and  Souirrei, 
(Sciurus  vulgaris).  I  should  be  very  much  obliged  if  any  reader  of  the 
Irish  Naturalist  who  has  met  with  young  Otters  or  Squirrels  in  the 
wild  state,  would  kindly  inform  me  in  what  month  he  met  with  them. 

Bell  ("  British  Quadrupeds,"  ed.  2,  p.  278),  says  of  the  Squirrel  that 
'*  the  female  brings  forth  three  or  four  young  in  the  month  of  June;  " 
but  the  experience  of  Mr.  Blagg  and  Mr.  Harting  {Zoologist,  March,  1891) 
is  opposed  to  this.  The  former  gives  instances  of  the  birth  of  young 
squirrels  in  January  and  March,  and  the  latter  in  March  and  April.  I 
have  myself  met  with  them  on  the  28th  of  May  in  England,  and,  with 
eyes  still  unopened,  so  late  as  August  14th  in  this  county.  I  imagine 
that,  as  is  the  case  with  some  other  rodents,  such  as  the  rabbit,  rat,  and 
hare,  the  date  of  the  production  of  the  young  of  the  squirrel  must  vary 
more  or  less  with  the  state  of  the  weather  and  general  food  supplies.  Is 
there  any  reason  why,  in  favourable  seasons,  the  squirrel  should  not 
breed  tmce  in  the  year;  possibly  those  I  saw  on  the  14th  of  August  were 
the  second  lot  produced  by  the  same  parents  that  year  }  As  regards  the 
otter,  Mr.  Southwell  has  discovered  that  the  young  are  usually  produced 
in  the  winter  months ;  is  this  the  case  also  in  Ireland  } 

Our  knowledge  of  even  the  commonest  Irish  mammals  is  so  very 
meagre  that  naturalists  must  be  always  glad  to  have  small  points  like  the 
above  cleared  up.  There  are  other  matters  too  which  much  need  investi- 
gation, such  as  the  number  of  young  produced  at  a  birth,  the  length  of 
the  period  of  gestation,  the  rate  of  growth  and  the  general  breeding 
habits.  I  am  at  present  engaged  in  collecting  information  relative  to  the 
distribution  and  life-histories  of  our  Irish  mammalia,  and  should  be  very 
pleased  to  correspond  with  anyone  who  takes  an  interest  in  these  sub- 
jects.— G.  E.  H.  Barrett-Hamilton,  Kilmanock,  New  Ross,  Co.  Wexford. 

The  Irish  Rat  (Mus  hibernicus,  Thomps.)  on  Lundy  Isi^and.  In 
November,  1891,  I  obtained  a  specimen  of  the  melanistic  variety  of  J/?^j 
decumanus  (v.  hibernicus)  shot  on  Lundy  Island.  I  believe  a  similar  specimen 
has  been  obtained  once  before  on  the  island.  The  specimen  was  perfectly 
black,  without  any  white  markings. — H.  J.  Charbonnier,  Bristol. 


[    128    ] 

PROCEEDINGS    OF   IRISH  SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI.OGICAI,  SOCIEJTY  OF  IREI<AND. 

Recent  donations  to  the  gardens  comprise  an  Otter  from  D,  R. 
Browning,  Esq. ;  two  Black-headed  Conures  from  Mrs.  lyoftie ;  a  Heron 
from  Mr.  G.  V.  Lovell;  a  Merlin  from  W.  J.  Williams,  Esq.  ;  a  Nylghai 
from  the  Officers  of  the  Suffolk  Regiment;  a  Muscovy  Duck  from  D, 
Maguire,  Esq.;  a  Hedgehog  from  Rev.  J.  D.  Cooke;  a  Sparrow-hawk  from 
E.  G.  Pennington,  Esq.;  and  two  Natierjack  Toads  from  Co.  Kerry,  from 
Dr.  Walker.  Two  Lion  Cubs  were  born  in  the  gardens  on  the  loth  August. 
A  four-horned  Sheep  has  been  purchased,  11,700  persons  visited  the 
gardens  in  July. 

BEI^FAST  NATURAWSTS'   FIEI/D   CI^UB. 

Jui<Y  nth,  I2th,  and  13th. — Three-day  excursion  to  Lough  Erne, 
Bundoran,  Ben  Bulben,  and  vSligo,  The  party  proceeded  on  the  first  day 
to  Enniskillen,  and  thence  by  steamer  down  Lower  Lough  Erne  to 
Belleek,  and  by  train  to  Bundoran,  where  the  afternoon  was  spent. 
Next  day  the  party,  who  numbered  fifty,  drove  to  Ben  Bulben,  and  crossed 
the  summit  of  the  mountain,  rejoining  the  vehicles  at  Drumcliff,  where 
the  round  tower  and  crosses  were  inspected.  The  evening  was  spent  in 
Sligo,  where  the  beautiful  Dominican  abbey  proved  the  chief  attraction. 
On  the  third  day  boats  were  taken  up  the  river  Garravogue  and  across 
Lough  Gill  to  Dromahaire,  where  a  special  train  was  in  waiting  to  convey 
the  party  to  Enniskillen,  whence  they  returned  to  Belfast.  Delightful 
weather  was  experienced  throughout  the  trip,  and  the  members  returned 
much  pleased  with  their  first  experience  of  the  Sligo  district  and  its 
inhabitants.     A  number  of  rare  plants  and  insects  were  collected. 

JuivY  30th. — Excursion  to  Benevenagh.  The  day  was  chiefly  spent  in 
botanising  on  this  highly  interesting  basaltic  mountain,  and  there  was 
keen  competition  for  two  prizes,  one  for  the  largest  collection  of 
flowering  plants,  the  other  for  the  rarest  twelve  flowering  plants  col- 
lected. In  the  latter  competition  some  extremely  rare  plants  were 
submitted,  including  Draba  incanuy  Polygala  vulgaris,  var.  grandifloi-a,  Silene 
acaulis,  Dryas  octopeiala,  Salix  herbacea,  and  Agrostis  pumila.  The  prize  for 
the  largest  collection  went  to  Miss  Coulson  (128  species),  by  withdrawal 
of  Mr.  J.  J.  Andrew  (190  species);  and  in  the  second  competition  to  Miss 
Knowles,  by  disqualification  of  Mr.  Praeger,  who  assisted  in  judging. 


DUBININ   NATURAI.ISTS'   FIEI,D   CI<UB. 

August  13th. — Seventeen  members  took  train  to  Blanchardstown,  and 
walked  thence  by  the  valley  of  the  Tolka  to  Dunboyne.  The  afternoon 
was  showery,  and  collecting  was  somewhat  interfered  with.  The  most 
noteworthy  capture  was  the  small  water-beetle,  Ccclambics  quinquelincatus, 
Zett.,  found  in  a  pond  near  the  river. 


CORK  NATURAI<ISTS'   FIEI/D   CI^UB. 

The  following  excursions  have  been  taken  since  those  recorded  in  our 
last  issue ; — 

JuiyY  13th. — To  Kinsale  and  the  Old  Head,  including  the  unrehearsed 
item  of  the  wreck  of  the  "  City  of  Chicago." 

Jut,Y  23rd. — To  Mourne  Abbey,  where  a  small  party,  conducted  by 
Mr.  Sullivan,  of  Queen's  College,  had  a  most  instructive  botanical  ramble. 

August  ist. — Bantry  Bay  was  visited  by  some,  and  botanical  and  ento- 
mological specimens  taken. 

August  loth. — A  very  pleasant  afternoon  was  spent  by  some  members 
at  Carrabinny  Woods,  Queenstown  Harbour,  the  "take"  being  princi- 
pally entomological. 


^ije  ^vi&lj  Itctturali^t* 


Vol..  I.  OCTOBER,  1892.  No.  7. 

THE  ICEIvAND  AND  GI.AUCOUS  GUEI.S  {LARUS 
LEUCOPTERUS,  Fabkr:  &  L.  GLAUCUS,  O.  Fab.) 
IN  IREI.AND. 

BY  ROBERT  WARRKN. 


The  visit  of  Iceland  Gulls  to  our  north-west  coast  last  winter, 
in  such  numbers,  is  so  interesting  and  unusual,  that  I  have 
been  induced  to  put  together  a  few  notes  of  those  Iceland 
and  Glaucous  Gulls  that  have  come  under  my  observation, 
with  the  dates  of  occurrence,  and  of  capture  of  the  specimens 
I  obtained. 

The  Iceland  Gull  appears  to  have  visited  this  part  of  the 
Irish  coast  (Killala  Bay)  much  oftener  than  the  Glaucous; 
though  according  to  the  late  Mr.  Thompson,  the  former  bird 
was  much  the  rarer  up  to  the  date  of  the  publication  of  his 
"Natural  History  of  Ireland,"  in  which  he  mentions  the 
occurrence  of  twelve  specimens  of  the  Glaucous,  and  only 
four  of  the  Iceland  Gull.  On  the  English  and  Scotch  coasts 
the  Glaucous  is  also  the  more  frequent  visitor  of  the  two,  and 
this  may  be  partly  accounted  for  by  the  fact  of  the  latter  bird 
breeding  on  the  coasts  of  Iceland,  Spitzbergen,  Nova  Zembla, 
and  on  those  of  Norway,  Northern  Russia,  and  Siberia,  where 
Messrs.  Harve^'-Brown  and  H.  Seebohm  met  it  breeding 
on  the  islands  in  the  delta  of  the  River  Petchora;  while 
the  head-quarters  of  the  Iceland  Gull  are  Greenland  and 
Arctic  America,  and  its  nearest  breeding  station  to  us  is  the 
remotely-situated  island  of  Jan  Mayen,  where  it  was  dis- 
covered breeding  by  Dr.  Fischer  of  the  Austro-Hungarian 
expedition  to  that  island  in  the  years  1882-1883.  The  Glau- 
cous Gull  being  about  the  size  of  the  Great  Black-backed 
Gull,  resembles  it  more  nearly  in  habits  and  style  of  flight 
than  any  of  its  congeners,  and  is  quite  as  war}^  and  distrustful, 
seldom  allowing  the  sportsman  to  come  within  shot ;  so 
unlike  the  Iceland,  which  scarcely  ever  shows  any  alarm  or 
timidit}',  and  is  easily  obtained  by  the  shooter  when  met  with. 

When  seen  fl3dng,  the  Glaucous  can  be  easily  distinguished 
from   the  Iceland  Gull  by  its  larger  size  and  heavier  flight, 

A 


130  The  Irish  Na hi ra list. 

which  is  so  like  that  of  the  Great  Black-backed  Gull ;  while 
there  is  no  gull  visiting  our  coasts  that  has  the  graceful,  gliding 
flight  of  the  Iceland,  owing  to  its  superior  length  of  wing,  and 
although  it  ma}^  be  sometimes  difficult  for  the  casual  observer 
to  distinguish  between  a  small  Glaucous  and  a  large  Iceland 
Gull  (even  when  in  the  hand),  yet  an  unerring  mark  of  dis- 
tinction between  the  two  species  is  the  comparative  length  of 
the  closed  wings  with  the  tail.  In  the  Glaucous  the  tips  of 
the  primaries  barely  reach  to  the  end  of  the  tail  feathers, 
perhaps  a  little  beyond  in  some  specimens,  while  in  the 
Iceland  the}''  extend  from  two,  to  two  and  a-half  inches 
be3'ond  it. 

When  seen  fljdng  in  the  company  of  other  gulls  both 
vSpecies  can  be  easil}^  recognised  by  their  white  primaries, 
offering  such  a  striking  contrast  to  the  black-tipped  wings  of 
all  our  native  gulls,  and  also  b}'  the  peculiar-looking  creamj- 
coloured  plumage  of  the  immature  birds,  especially  of  those 
in  their  second  winter.  The  Iceland  Gull  is  a  very  irregular 
visitor  to  our  coasts,  and,  as  far  as  I  know,  severe  seasons  do 
not  appear  to  bring  them  to  us  in  any  larger  numbers  than 
mild  ones,  and  duringthe  hard  winters  of  1867-1868,  1878-1879, 
and  1880-188 1  I  never  met  them  at  all. 

I  first  became  acquainted  with  this  rare  northern  visitor  in 
Cork  Harbour,  in  January,  1849,  when  a  large  flight  of  Iceland 
Gulls  must  have  arrived  on  our  southern  coast,  for  I  observ^ed 
them  in  different  parts  of  the  harbour  during  that  and  the 
succeeding  month  of  February.  The  first  bird  I  noticed  was 
on  the  25th  January,  when  returning  with  my  brother  from 
shooting  on  Seamount  Marsh,  and  as  we  were  passing  along 
the  embankment  a  splendid-looking  bird  flew  close  past  us, 
and  its  w^hite  wings  and  cream3'-coloured  plumage  showing 
almost  quite  white  in  the  sunshine,  at  once  announced  it  to 
be  a  stranger ;  but  although  it  passed  within  a  few  3'ards,  we 
lost  the  opportunit}'  of  securing  such  a  rare  prize,  for  both 
our  guns  were  unloaded  at  that  time.  Again,  on  the  29th, 
when  in  a  boat  crossing  the  harbour  from  Ringaskiddy  to 
Oueenstown,  we  observed  one  flying  near  the  guardship  off 
Haulbowline  Island,  and  as  it  wheeled  round  b\^  our  boat,  my 
brother  was  so  fortunate  as  to  bring  it  down  at  the  first  shot. 
This  bird  was,  I  think,  in  the  second  3'ear's  plumage,  and  in 
very  fine  condition,  weighing  two  pounds,  and  was  presented 
to  m3'  old  friend,  the  late  Dr.  J.  R.  Harv^ey  of  Cork,  and  is  the 
bird  mentioned  in  Mr.  Thompson's  third  volume  as  the  fourth 
Irish  specimen  that  had  come  under  his  notice.  On  the 
2nd  Februar3%  as  we  were  again  crossing  the  harbour  to 
Queenstown,  two  Iceland  Gulls  appeared  near  Haulbowline, 
and  about  an  hour  later,  as  we  w^ere  on  our  wa3^  to  James- 
brook,  the  residence  of  Mr.  R.  W.  G.  Adams,  when  passing 
Cuskinny  another  pair  were  seen,  but  neither  was  obtained. 
Again,  when  returning  from  QueeUvStown  on  the  8th  of  same 


The  Iceland  and  Glaucous  Git  I  Is  in  Ireland.  131 

month,  a  fine  bird  was  seen  flying  along  HaulboAvline  bank ; 
and  on  the  13th  we  saw  another  near  Seamount  marsh. 
Having  left  the  County  Cork  in  185 1,  I  know  nothing  of  the 
visits  of  this  Gull  to  the  harbour  or  coast  since  that  date. 

My  next  meeting  with  the  Iceland  Gull  was  near  the  island 
of  Bartragh  in  Killala  Bay,  Co.  Mayo,  on  the  4th  December, 
1 85 1,  when  I  shot  a  bird  in  immature  plumage,  which  I 
sent  to  Belfast  to  the  late  Wm.  Thompson,  and  the  specimen, 
if  in  existence,  should  be  in  the  museum  there. ^  On  the 
9th  December,  1854,  I  observed  a  bird  resting  on  the  sands 
near  Scurmore,  on  the  Co.  Sligo  side  of  the  estuar>%  but 
although  I  did  not  succeed  in  coming  within  shooting 
distance,  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  being  an  Iceland  Gull.  On 
the  7th  May,  1855,  a  splendid-looking  bird,  apparentl}^  in 
adult  plumage,  passed  close  to  the  parlour  window  here,  where 
I  was  sitting  at  the  time,  and  as  it  slowly  glided  past  I  had  an 
excellent  view  of  it,  and  watched  it  until  quite  out  of  sight. 
For  the  greater  part  of  January,  1862,  a  3'oung  bird  haunted 
one  of  m}'  ploughed  fields  here  at  Moy  View,  feeding  on  the 
worms  turned  up  b}^  the  plough,  and  it  became  so  tame  and 
confiding  that  I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  shooting  it,  and 
thinking  that  if  taken  alive  it  would  prove  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  collection  of  the  Dublin  Zoological  Gardens,  I  laid  a 
hook  baited  with  raw  meat  in  one  of  the  furrows,  and  this 
was  taken  at  once,  but  swallowed  so  greedily  that  the  unfor- 
tunate bird  died  shortly  after  the  hook  was  extracted  from  its 
throat.  On  the  22nd  December,  same  year,  I  saw  a  bird  on 
the  Knniscrone  Sands  associating  with  some  Herring  and 
Common  Gulls,  and  appeared  so  dark  in  colour  as  to  be 
evidently  a  j^oung  bird  of  the  year. 

I  shot  another  j^oung  bird  on  the  6th  of  Januar}^  1866,  as  it 
was  haunting  one  of  ni}^  ploughed  fields,  and  on  the  19th  of 
February  same  year,  when  riding  along  the  Knniscrone  Sands 
facing  the  open  bay,  I  noticed  a  very  dark-coloured  bird  with 
some  "^Herring  Gulls,  and  as  it  was  so  tame  as  to  allow  me  to 
ride  past  within  eight  or  ten  yards,  I  had  so  good  a  view  of  it, 
that  I  feel  certain  that  it  was  in  the  first  3'ear's  plumage. 

On  the  26th  January,  1873,  when  standing  on  the  road  near 
Dooneen  House,  talking  to  some  friends,  we  were  surprised  at 
seeing  an  Iceland  Gull  flying  towards  us  from  across  the  fields, 
and  alight  on  the  high  road  about  thirty  5'ards  from  where  we 
were  standing,  remain  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  fly  low 
along  the  road  for  a  hundred  yards,  as  if  looking  for  food,  and 
then  across  the  fields  out  of  sight. 

On  the  28th  January,  1877,  I  saw  a  bird  that  I  think  was  in 
the  second  year's  plumage,  resting  in  one  of  my  pasture  fields 
amongst  a  flock  of  Common  and  Black-headed  Gulls;  there 
had  been  a  heavy  gale  the  night  before,  and  all  the  gulls  ap- 


'  An  immature  Iceland  Gull  in  the  Belfast  Museum,  bearing  no  label, 
is  no  doubt  this  specimen. — ivds. 

B 


132  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

peared  tired  after  it,  seeming  disinclined  to  leave  the  field,  and 
when  disturbed  fi34ng  only  a  short  distance  and  pitching  again. 

On  the  26th  December,  same  year,  when  walking  along  the 
shore  at  Killanly,  I  observed  a  young  Iceland  Gull,  with  a 
young  Herring  Gull,  resting  on  the  water  about  thirty  yards 
from  the  strand,  and  three  da3^s  after,  on  the  29th,  being  anxious 
to  obtain  some  Purple  Sandpipers  for  a  friend's  collection,  I 
visited  a  favourite  haunt  of  theirs  on  the  coast  about  two  miles 
below  Bnniscrone,  on  the  Co.  Sligo  .side  of  the  bay.  When 
about  half  wa}-,  I  observed  an  immature  Iceland  Gull  flying 
about  a  grass  field  where  a  flock  of  Common  Gulls  were  resting, 
but  as  it  did  not  come  within  shot,  I  passed  on  to  the  sand- 
pipers' haunt ;  having  shot  some  specimens  I  set  out  on  my 
return,  and  when  again  passing  by  the  field  in  which  I  had 
seen  the  gull  in  the  morning,  I  was  agreeabl}^  surprised  at 
seeing  it  there  .still,  and  as  it  flew  out  over  the  shore,  coming 
within  easy  shot,  I  took  advantage  of  the  chance,  and  brought 
it  down  wdth  a  charge  of  No.  5.  It  proved  to  be  a  bird  in  the 
first  year's  plumage,  and  was  the  same  I  had  seen  in  the  mor- 
ning, a  broken  feather  in  the  wing  identifying  it. 

My  next  meeting  wdth  this  species  of  gull  was  in  November, 
1887,  when  I  shot  a  bird,  also  in  the  first  year's  plumage,  that 
haunted  one  of  my  ploughed  fields  for  several  days  in  the 
company  of  Black-headed  and  Common  Gulls,  feeding  after  the 
plough.  This  bird  was  in  very  poor  condition,  for  when  skin- 
ning it  not  a  particle  of  fat  was  visible  on  any  part  af  the  body. 
Since  the  date  last  mentioned  no  Iceland  Gulls  have  come 
under  my  observation  until  the  present  year,  when  on  the  9th 
of  Januarj^  as  I  was  walking  in  one  of  my  fields  near  the 
shore,  a  splendid-looking  bird,  exhibiting  the  cream3^-coloured 
second  j^ear's  plumage,  flew  close  p^st  me  along  the  shore, 
alighting  on  the  water  near  the  Scurmore  Ice-house :  and  on 
the  next  day  I  saw  it  again  standing  on  a  rock  near  the  same 
place.  This  bird  was  so  very  large  that  at  first  I  thought  it 
was  a  Glaucous ;  but  its  buoyant,  gliding  flight,  showed  it  to 
be  an  Icelander. 

On  the  3rd  February,  when  on  the  shore  at  Carrahubbock, 
below  the  village  of  Bnniscrone,  where  I  had  gone  to  search 
for  shells,  I  observed  another  bird  (or  probably  the  same) 
swimming  about  a  rock-pool  amongst  some  Herring  Gulls, 
and  it  w^as,  as  Iceland  Gulls  usuallj^  are,  very  tame  and  unsus- 
picious, allowing  me  to  approach  within  forty  3'ards  while  it 
was  washing  and  dressing  its  plumage.  I  remained  for  nearl}^ 
half  an  hour  looking  at  it  through  my  glass,  being  well  able 
to  identify  it  by  comparing  its  size  with  that  of  a  young  Her- 
ring Gull  standing  alongside ;  and  also  from  being  able  to  see 
distinctly  that  the  ends  of  the  closed  wings  extended  consi- 
derably beyond  the  tail — an  unfailing  mark  of  distinction 
betw^een  the  Iceland  and  Glaucous  Gulls. 

Two  days  after,  on  the  5th,  as  it  was  blowing  a  gale  from  the 
north-west,  I  walked  to  Bnniscrone   expecting  to  meet   the 


The  Icela7id  and  Glmccous  Gtclls  ifi  Irdajid.  133 

gulls  (previously  seen)  feeding  along  the  edge  of  the  water, 
as  they  always  do  on  a  lee  shore  during  a  gale  of  wind.  On 
reaching  the  sands  I  saw  a  large  number  of  gulls,  probably 
over  a  hundred,  flocking  into  the  little  bay  near  the  bath- 
house, where  the  wind  and  tide  had  drifted  some  floating 
food,  and  where  it  was  retained  by  the  edd3-tide.  The  gulls, 
crowding  into  such  a  small  space,  raised  a  tremendous  row, 
screaming  and  fighting  as  they  circled  round,  dipping  into 
the  water,  and  after  a  short  time  I  observed  in  the  midst  of 
the  crowd  three  Icelanders,  easily  recognised  b}^  their  graceful 
flight,  and  creamy-coloured  plumage;  and  as  these  birds  flew 
along  the  edge  oif  the  water,  passing  close  b}^  me,  I  got  a  shot 
at  one,  knocking  it  down  with  a  wire  cartridge  from  my  old 
muzzle-loader,  but  I  lost  the  other  two  by  forgetting  to  bring 
with  me  some  more  wire  cartridges,  or  large  shot,  for  although 
I  got  a  shot  at  each,  they  got  away  wounded,  for  the  No.  5  shot 
with  which  I  had  loaded,  was  too  light  to  be  effective  at  long 
range  on  birds  so  densely  clothed  with  such  a  thick  coat  of 
feathers  as  the  breast  and  under  parts  of  these  arctic  gulls 
usually  are.  The  bird  shot  was  a  very  fine  specimen  in  the 
second  year's  plumage,  and  its  two  companions  appeared  to 
be  in  the  same. 

(TO  BE  CONTINUED.) 


THE   PLANTS   OF  DARKEY   ISLAND. 

BY   DAVID   M'ARDI^E;. 


The  excursion  of  the  Dublin  Naturalists'  Field  Club  to  Dalkey 
Sound  and  Island  was  full  of  interest  to  botanists.  The  island, 
which  is  on  the  south  side  of  Dublin  Bay,  comprises  an  area  of 
twenty-two  acres,  and  is  distant  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  mainland.  The  ruins  of  a  chapel,  stated  to  have  been 
dedicated  to  St.  Benedict,  are  interesting ;  the  walls,  built  of 
very  rough  material,  are  still  extant.  The  island  is  uninha- 
bited ;  a  few  cattle  in  prime  condition  show  the  excellence  of 
the  pasture;  ''they  are  forced  to  swim  over,  and  to  swim  back 
again,"  as  the  boatman  informed  us.  The  place  is  also  con- 
sidered good  pasturage  for  sheep,  and  their  flesh  is  said  to 
acquire  a  peculiarly  fine  flavour.  The  geological  formation  is 
granite,  in  the  crevices  of  which  grow  mau}^  interesting  plants. 
The  following  were  collected  by  m3'self  and  the  President 
(Dr.  McWeeney)  : — Armeria  maritima,  Aster  tripolmm,  Atri- 
plex  patitla,  var.,  Glaux  7naritima,  Erica  ci7ierea,  Plantago 
niarithna,  P.  coro7iop2is,  Sagina  apetala,  Samolus  vale7'a?idi, 
Spei'-gularia  rupestris,  Sileiie  7nariti7iia.  The  Samphire,  C7'ith- 
VIU771  7)iaritii)iu77i,  w^as  in  full  bloom  amongst  the  rocks ;  it 
belongs  to  the  U77ibellife7'cs,  and  is  more  or  less  plentiful  on  the 
coasts  of  Europe.  This  is  the  plant  alluded  to  by  Shakespeare 
in  Ki7ig  Lear,  Act  iv  ,  sc.  6  : 

B^ 


134  ^^^  Irish  Naturalist. 

"  Half-way  down, 
Hangs  one  that  gathers  Samphire,  dreadful  trade ! 
Methinks  he  seems  no  bigger  than  his  head." 

Ill  Shakespeare's  time  the  gathering  of  Samphire  was  a  regu- 
lar trade,  and  in  Smith's  "  History  of  Waterford  "  there  is  a 
description  of  how  the  people  gather  it,  hanging  by  a  rope 
several  fathoms  from  the  top  of  the  impending  rocks,  as  it 
were  in  the  air. 

There  is  an  old  story  connected  with  the  plant.  A  ship  was 
wrecked  on  the  Sussex  coast,  and  a  small  party  were  left  on 
the  rock  not  far  from  land,  but  the}^  found  the  sea  was  rising 
higher  and  higher,  threatening  their  place  of  refuge.  An 
officer  who  possessed  some  botanical  knowledge,  seeing  a  plant 
of  Samphire  growing  on  the  rock,  told  them  they  might  sta}^, 
trusting  to  that  little  plant,  for  the  sea  would  rise  no  further, 
as  Samphire,  though  alwa3'S  growing  within  the  spray  of  the 
sea,  never  grows  where  it  can  be  submerged.  They  believed 
him  and  were  saved.  The  Golden  Samphire,  Inula  cjdthvioidcs^ 
belongs  to  the  Composite^,  and  is  a  rare  plant,  only  found  on 
the  south  and  east  coasts  in  Ireland.  On  Dalke}^  Island  it 
occurs  sparingly  near  the  Martello  Tower,  and  is  noted  from 
this  locality  in  the  *'  Cybele  Hibernica." 

Aspleniu7n  mariiium  now  occurs  sparinglj^,  though  it  was 
once  plentiful  on  the  island ;  it  is  frequent  around  the  Irish 
coast,  and  is  often  found  some  distance  inland. 

The  lyiverworts  are  few  but  very  interesting.  Lophocolea 
bidentata  is  abundant  about  the  bases  of  the  moist  rocks,  and 
Frullania  dilatata  is  often  found  creeping  over  the  bare  rocks. 
Anthelia  J2cratzka7ia,  L^impr.,  grows  in  the  crevices  of  the  moist 
rocks  (sterile).  This  rare  plant  is  an  addition  to  the  Irish 
Flora.  I  first  found  it  on  the  cliffs  near  the  Bailey  lyighthouse, 
Howth,  in  October  of  last  3'ear.  I  sent  it  to  Dr.  Spruce  ?s  a 
form  of  Cephalozia  divaricata ;  he  reminded  me  of  the  tristi- 
chous  arrangement  of  the  leaves,  and  said  it  was  probably 
A.juratzkana,  but  that  the  specimens  were  too  young  for  cer- 
tain determination.  I  afterwards  collected  it  in  fruit,  which 
settled  the  matter  of  identity.  I  have  also  gathered  it  this 
year  on  Ireland's  Kye.  The  geographical  distribution  of  the 
plant  is  interesting.  It  is  found  on  the  summit  of  Warschneck 
mountain,  in  Upper  Austria,  at  an  altitude  of  2,200  feet 
(Jtwatzka) ;  in  Lapland  at  Pitensis,  on  Tjidtjalsk  mountain 
{Lindbcrg,  1856);  in  the  Grimsel  Alps,  Switzerland  (^Schiviper^ 
1847);  on  moist  rocks  below  the  summit  of  Ben  Nevis  (fertile) 
{Mr.  W.  W^^5/,  August,  1880).  A  full  description  of  the  plant 
will  be  published  in  my  forthcoming  list  of  Howth  liverworts. 

The  following  vSpecies  of  Fungi  were  collected  by  Dr. 
McWeeney  : — Agariais  {Psalliota)  campestris,  Marasviius  07''e- 
ades,  Lycopa^doii  ccelatum,  L.  gemniattun,  Verticillium  na7iuvi 
(on  AIaras77iius^,  IIysteriu77i  aru7idi7iaceu77i  (on  grass  stems  and 
leaves). 


[  135  ] 
THK  IRISH  I,AND  AND  FRESHWATER   MOI.LUSCA. 

BY  R.  F.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 
( Coniimied  from  page  109. ) 

GASTROPODA. 
P  U  L  M  O  N  A   T  A  . 


Genus— PUPA. 

Pupa  anglica,   Fer. 

I.     II.     Ill     IV.     V.     VI.     —    VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This  species,  which  was  formerly  believed  to  be  peculiar  to  the  British 
Islands,  is  abundant  in  some  localities,  but  quite  absent  from  others.  It 
is  the  P.  ringens  of  Jeffreys. 

FoRE^iGN  DiSTRiBUTiox. — South-west  and  north  Kngland,  Wales  and 
Scotland,  Pyrenees,  Portugal,  and  Algiers. 

Pupa  cylindracea,  Da  Costa. 
I.     II.     —     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

In  limestone  districts  especially  this  species  is  extremely  common,  but 
it  also  occurs  on  pure  granite  soil.  To  British  conchologists  it  is  perhaps 
better  known  by  the  more  recent  name  of  P.  iimhilicata,  Drap. 

For:e:ign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  north  Germany,  south 
Norway,  Sweden,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Corsica,  Sardinia,  Sicily, 
south  Austria,  north  Italy,  Dalmatia,  Greece,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Azores, 
Canaries,  Madeira,  and  St.  Helena. 

Pupa  muscorum,  MUller. 
I.     II.     —     IV.     V.     —    —    VIII.     —    —    —    XII. 

P.  marginata,  Drap.,  the  name  adopted  by  Thompson,  is  a  more  recent 
one  than  P.  muscorum.  It  is  rarer  than  the  preceding ;  but  Mr.  Praeger 
met  with  enormous  numbers  of  dead  specimens  on  the  sea-shore  near 
Bundoran.     I  found  it  on  the  Aran  Islands. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  throughout  continental 
Europe,  Iceland,  Corsica,  Siberia,  Algiers  and  Morocco,  Thibet,  Tur- 
kestan, and  North  America. 

Genus— VERTIGO. 

Vertigo  edentula,  Drap. 
I.     —    III.     IV.     V.     —     VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

It  requires  most  diligent  search,  especially  among  fallen  leaves,  to 
discover  this  species,  but  it  is  not  uncommon  in  wooded  districts. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  continental  Europe  (except 
Portugal),  Sicily,  Siberia,  Azores,  Madeira,  Canaries,  and  Alaska. 

Vertigo  minutissima,  Hartm. 


According  to  Messrs.  Taylor  and  Roebuck  (14),  this  species  has  been 
taken  at  Killarney  by  Mr.  Hardy,  but  no  other  specimen  has  been 
found  in  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Very  local  in  England  and  Scotland, 
throughout  Europe,  except  the  extreme  north,  Algiers,  Morocco,  and 
Madeira  (sub-fossil). 


136  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Vertigo  alpestris,  Alder. 

—    —    —    —    V?    —    —    —    —    —    —     XII. 

The  occurence  of  this  typically  alpine  species  in  Ireland  practically 
rests  on  the  record  of  a  single  specimen  taken  at  Coleraine  (14),  Mr. 
Hogan's  supposed  discovery  of  the  species  in  Co.  Dublin  is  very  doubt- 
ful, and  was  not  confirmed  by  later  observers.  I  have  never  seen  an  Irish 
specimen. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Very  local  in  the  north  of  England,  Scan- 
dinavia, central  and  southern  Germany,  the  Alps  up  to  6,000  feet,  Hungary, 
and  Transylvania,  north  Russia,  Siberia,  Alaska,  and  Canada. 

Vertigo  moulinsiaua,  Dup. 

This  species  has  only  once  been  taken  near  Roundstone,  Co.  Galway,  by 
Mr.  Jeffreys  (8),  and  by  mj'self  on  the  Aran  Islands.  The  V.  lilljehorgi 
of  Westerlund  seems  to  me  only  a  variety  of  this  species. 

Foreign  Distribution. — South-west  England,  France,  central  Ger- 
many, south  Scandinavia,  Denmark,  Switzerland,  and  north  Italy. 

Vertigo  pygmaea,  Drap. 
I.     II.     —     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

This  is  the  commonest  of  the  Irish  Vertigos,  and  is  often  found  in  very 
dry  places. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Denmark, 
German}',  Russia,  Caucasus,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy,  France,  Sicily, 
Spain,  Portugal,  and  Azores. 

Vertigo  substriata,  Jeff, 
—    —    —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     —     —    —    XII 

Living  specimens  of  this  species  have  ver}^  rarely  been  taken,  but  I 
picked  out  over  a  dozen  dead  shells  from  a  recent  deposit  found  by  Mr. 
Praeger  near  Bundoran,  and  it  occurs  in  a  similar  way  near  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — North  England  and  Wales,  Scandinavia, 
west  Russia,  north  and  south  Germany,  Austria,  and  Tyrol. 

Vertigo  antivertigo,  Drap. 
I.     —     III.     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    —    XII. 

Thompson  (15)  referred  to  this  species  as  V.  jx^lustris  (Leach),  which 
name  although  more  recent  is  very  expressive,  as  the  species  is  generally 
found  in  marshy  places. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Germany, 
Austria,  Transylvania,  Caucasus,  Turkestan,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily, 
France,  Spain  and  Portugal. 

Vertigo  pusilla,  Miiller. 
I.     —     —    —     V.     VI.     VII.     —    _    —     —     XII. 

Mr.  Praeger  obtained  this  very  rare  species  in  the  deposit  above 
referred  to.  Although  it  is  extremely  likely  that  the  species  is  still  living 
there,  only  dead  shells  were  found. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England  and  Scotland,  south  Scandinavia, 
France,  Belgium,  Germany,  Austria,  Transylvania,  Caucasus,  north  Italy, 
Switzerland. 


The  Irish  Land  a7id  Freshwater  Mollusca.  137 

Vertigfo  angustior,  JefF. 
I.     —    —    —    —    VI.     —    VIII.     IX.     —    IX.    XII. 

Like  the  last,  this  species  is  very  rare  in  Ireland.  It  also  was  found  at 
Bundoran  with  the  preceding  species  by  Mr.  Praeger. 

Foreign  Distribution. — North  England  and  Scotland,  south  Scan- 
dinavia, Germany,  France,  Switzerland,  north  Italy,  Austria,  Transyl- 
vania, and  south  Russia. 

Genus— BALEA. 

Balea    perversa,    Iv. 

I.     —    —    IV.     V.     -    VII.     —    IX.     X.    XI.     XII. 

This  species  abounds  especially  in  the  wooded  parts  of  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Finland,  Ger- 
many, Switzerland,  Austria,  Italy,  Sicily,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Azores, 
and  Madeira. 

Genus— CLAUSILIA. 

Clausilia    laminata,    Mont. 
—    —    —     —     —     —    VII.     —     —    X.     —    — 

Mr.  Warren  was  the  first  to  find  this  large  Clausilia  in  Co.  Cavan.  Its 
range  was  somewhat  extended  bj-  Thompson  (15),  but  still  it  has  never 
been  taken  outside  a  very  limited  area,  in  central  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
German}',  south  Russia,  Austria,  Transylvania,  Greece,  Switzerland,  Italy, 
and  France. 

Clausilia  "bidentata,  Strom. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

Prof  Bottger,  the  highest  authority  on  the  genus  Clausilia,  pointed  out 
to  me  that  the  species  known  to  British  conchologists  under  the  name  of 
C.  rugosa,  Drap.,  is  identical  with  C.  hidentata,  Strom,  which  name  has  the 
priority.     It  is  an  extremely  common  species  throughout  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Austria,  Italy,  Sicily,  France,  Spain  and  Portugal, 

Genus— SUCCINEA. 

Succinea  putris,  L. 

I.     II.     —     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

Among  rushes  along  the  banks  of  streams  and  ponds  this  species  has 
been  met  with  in  most  parts  of  the  country. 

Foreign  Distribution.- Great  Britain,  throughout  continental 
Europe,  Thibet,  Turkestan,  and  Siberia,  while  closely  allied  species  are 
found  in  North  America  and  Greenland. 

Succinea  elegans,  Risso. 
I.     _     III.     —     V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    — 

All  the  specimens  of  this  species  which  I  examined  belong  to  what  is 
known  by  continental  conchologists  as  S.  jifcifrri,  Rossm.,  but  as  no 
differences  seem  to  have  been  observed  in  the  anatomy  between  it  and 
S.  elegans,  we  may  regard  the  former  as  a  variety  of  the  latter. 

Foreign  Distribution.— England  and  Wales,  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Caucasus,  Turkey,  Italy,  Sicily,  France,  Germany, 
Switzerland,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Siberia,  and  a  closely  allied 
species,  aS'.  ovalis,  in  North  America. 


138  The  Irish  Natuj-alist. 

Succinea  oblonga,  Drap. 
I.     —    —    —    —    —    VII.     —    —     -      —    — 

The  two  forms  S.  ohlonga  and  S.  arenaria  are  generally  regarded  as 
distinct  species  by  continental  authorities,  but  sufficiently  reliable  charac- 
ters have  not  as  yet  been  discovered  by  means  of  which  they  may  be 
separated,  and  I  follqw  Clessin  in  uniting  the  two  under  the  older  name. 
This  species  has  been  found  in  very  few  localities  in  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Russia, 
Germany,  Austria,  Transylvania,  north  Italy,  Franc  2,  Spain,  Portugal,  and 
Siberia. 

Genus— CARYCHIUM. 

Carychium  miniinTim,  Miill. 
I.     II.     —     IV.     V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    XL     XII. 

In  damp  localities  this  prettj'  little  snail  seems  to  be  abundant  every- 
where in  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
south  Russia,  Caucasus,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Italy,  Switzer- 
land, Sicily,  Corsica,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  and  Morocco. 

(TO   BE  CONTINUED.) 


THE  IRISH  POST-GIvACIAI.  BSTUARINE   DEPOSITS. 

BY   R.    I.I,OYD   PRAKGER,    B.A.,    M.R.I. A. 


In  a  paper  recently  read  before  the  Royal  Irish  Acadeni}^ 
{Proccedi7igs,  3rd  series,  vol.  ii.  No.  2),  I  have  described  a  series 
of  Pleistocene  beds  which  occupy  considerable  areas  in  most 
of  the  existing  estuaries  in  the  north-east  of  Ireland,  and 
which  possess  a  definite  interest  to  the  student  of  later  Post- 
tertiar}^  geology.  The  deposits  in  question  lie,  almost  without 
exception,  below  high  water  mark,  and  are,  therefore,  not 
easil}"  accessible,  and  their  wet  cla3^ey  nature  does  not  invite  a 
close  acquaintance ;  they  contain  a  well-preserved  and  varied 
fauna  that  lived  on  the  spot  where  it  is  now  entombed.  In 
age  they  represent  the  latest  page  of  the  geological  record, 
and  correspond  with  the  raised  beaches  and  raised  sea-beds 
which  fringe  the  north-eastern  shores.  At  Belfast  especiall3% 
and  at  various  other  points  on  the  coasts  of  Deny,  Antrim, 
and  Down,  these  estuarine  deposits  have  received  a  fair  share 
of  attention  from  local  geologists, and  their  extent,  age,  and 
fauna  have  been  now  well  worked  out.'     Elsewhere  in  Ireland 

*  See  Grainger — "  Shells  found  in  the  Post-tertiary  Deposits  of  Belfast," 
Nat.  Hist.  Review,  1859;  Stewart — "  Latest  Fluctuations  of  the  Sea-level  on 
our  own  Coasts,"  and  *'  Fossils  of  the  Estuarine  Clays  of  Down  and  A.\\- 
trini,'''  Eighth  Annual  Rcjiort,  Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club;  Wright — "Post-tertiary 
Foraminifera  of  the  north-east  of  Ireland,"  Proc.  Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club, 
1879-80,  Appcndio:;  Bell — "Fourth  and  Final  Report  on  the  Wexford 
Gravels,"  Brit.  Assoc.  JRej^ort,  1891 ;  Praeger — "Sections  exposed  at  Alexan- 
dra Dock,  Belfast,"  Proc.  Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club,  1886-87,  Ap2^endix;  and 
"Report  of  Larne  Gravels  Committee,"  tJM.,  1889-90;  etc. 


The  Irish  Post-Glacial  Estuarhie  Deposits.  139 

they  have  apparently  been  overlooked  (for  there  is  little 
reason  to  suppose  they  are  absent),  and  the  object  of  the 
present  communication  is  to  briefly  describe  this  estuarine 
series,  and  bring  it  under  the  notice  of  Irish  geologists,  in  the 
hope  that  information  as  to  the  occurrence  of  similar  deposits 
on  other  portions  of  our  coasts  may  be  forthcoming. 

I  shall  take  a  typical  section  at  Belfast  (Alexandra  Dock) 
as  an  illustration.  Here  the  strata  passed  through  in  exca- 
vating for  the  graving  dock  were  as  follow: — 

ft.  in. 
Surface  clays,  . ,  . .  . .  . .  6    6 


Yellow  sand, 

2 

0 

Upper  estuarine  clay. 

6 

0 

Ivower  estuarine  clay, 

6 

0 

Grey  sand. 

2 

0 

Peat, 

I 

6 

Grey  sand. 

2 

0 

Red  sand. 

4 

0 

Boulder  clay  (Base  not  reached). 

Total, 

15 

0 

45 

0 

In  almost  every  section  of  the  estuarine  beds,  the  Boulder 
clay  forms  the  base,  and  it  is  much  older  than  the  oldest 
member  of  the  series  with  which  I  am  dealing.  While  the 
Boulder  clay  is  characterized  by  northern  and  arctic  forms 
of  molluscs,  the  estuarine  fauna  presents  a  rather  more 
southern  aspect  than  that  now^  existing  in  the  same  area. 
The  red  sand  which  overlies  the  Boulder  clay  at  Belfast  is  the 
representative  of  a  long  period  of  time,  during  which  the 
climate  returned  to  something  approaching  its  present  con- 
dition, and  it  probably  corresponds  in  age  with  the  eskers  of 
the  inland  counties,  and  with  brick-earths  and  gravel  deposits 
in  many  parts  of  the  countr}^ ;  a  few  starved  foraminifera 
attest  its  marine  origin.  Ikying  above  this  red  sand,  between 
two  layers  of  gre}^  marine  sand,  we  meet  with  a  bed  of  peat. 
This  peat  forms  a  well-marked  zone,  occurring  at  points  all 
round  the  Irish  coast,  and  it  may  be  taken  as  the  base  of  the 
estuarine  series.  In  the  north-east  it  occurs  at  a  large  num- 
ber of  localities,  varying  in  level  from  above  high  water  mark 
to  some  thirty-five  feet  below  that  level,  and  in  thickness  from 
a  few  inches  to  four  feet.  It  contains  an  abundant  flora  of 
marsh  plants,  and  leaves,  fruit,  and  branches  of  Scotch  fir, 
hazel,  willow,  alder,  etc. ;  the  first  two  largely  predominating. 
The  tree-stumps  are  usually  still  in  the  natural  upright 
position.  At  Belfast  the  peat  has  yielded  remains  of  the  Red 
Deer,  Irish  Klk,  and  Wild  Boar.  The  occurrence  of  a  Megace^vs 
skull  in  this  bed  is  particularly  interesting,  as  placing  the 
submerged  peat  on  a  horizon  corresponding  with  the  marl 
deposits  which  underlie  our  great  peat-bogs,  rather  than  with 
the  peat-bogs  themselves,  in  which  Megaceros  remains  seldom, 
if  ever,  occur. 


140  The  Insh  Naturalist. 

We  next  come  to  a  ver}^  distinct  deposit  which  has  been 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  estuarine  cla}^  and  which  is  the 
bed  to  which  I  wish  particularly  to  draw  attention.  At  Belfast 
and  elsewhere,  where  the  series  is  well  developed,  it  consists  of 
two  zones,  differing  considerablj^  both  in  lithological  features 
and  in  the  character  of  its  fauna.  The  lower  zone  consists  of 
brownish-blue  sand}^  marine  cla}',  crammed  with  littoral  shells 
of  a  limited  number  of  species,  of  which  Scrobicidaiia  pipei^ata^ 
Tapes  deciissattis,  Cardmm  edule,  and  Mytilus  edulis  predominate ; 
the  former  two  of  these  are  now  very  rare  in  the  north-east  of 
Ireland.  This  Scrobicularia  zone  is  ver}^  persistent  through- 
out the  district  under  consideration ;  it  also  occurs  in  Dublin 
ba}^,  and  has  been  recognised  in  England  and  Scotland. 

The  upper,  or  Thracia  zone  is  of  a  different  nature.  The 
depression  that  had  caused  the  submergence  of  the  peaty 
land-surface  and  the  deposition  of  littoral  sand  and  mud  on 
the  top  of  it,  then  assumed  a  more  rapid  aspect;  in  passing 
from  the  lower  to  the  upper  zone  of  the  estuarine  clay  we 
pass  from  a  littoral  fauna  into  one  which  would  be  found  in  a 
depth  of  five  to  ten  fathoms  of  water.  Cardium  echinatiim^ 
Scrobic7cla7'ia  alba,  Liicinopsis  tcndata,  Montacuta  bidentata, 
Tlwacia  convexa,  Turritella  terebra,  Aporrhais  pes-peleca7ti, 
Scalaria  tiirtonce,  now  become  characteristic  species,  and  a 
varied  and  exuberant  fauna,  pertaining  to  the  laminarian  and 
coralline  zones,  replaces  the  limited  littoral  fauna  of  the  Scro- 
bicularia clay.  The  beds  of  sand  and  clay  which  overlie  the 
Thracia  zone  in  the  t3^pical  section  taken,  are  again  of  a 
littoral  character,  and  attest  the  re-elevation  of  the  surface 
to  its  present  position:  they  are  the  very  latest  geological 
deposit  in  our  CvStuaries,  and  are,  in  fact,  still  in  course  of 
formation. 

The  estuarine  beds,  then,  show  a  well-marked  series  of 
oscillations  of  level.  The  peat  represents  a  period  far  back 
in  Post-tertiar}^  times  (but  long  after  the  grand  series  of 
depressions  and  elevations  that  characterised  the  **  Great  Ice 
age"),  during  which  the  land  .stood  higher  than  at  present, 
possibly  only  a  few  feet  higher  in  some  places,  but  certainly 
20  to  40  feet  at  other  spots.  An  era  of  gradual  depression 
ensued,  accompanied  by  a  deposition  of  littoral  mud  on  the 
former  land  surface.  This  was  succeeded  hy  a  further  depres- 
sion, which  submerged  the  former  surface  to  a  depth  of  50  to 
80  feet.  The  final  elevation  which  succeeded,  amounted  to  30 
or  40  feet,  and  brought  about  the  existing  state  of  things. 
This  series  of  oscillations  is  the  latest  of  which  we  have  any 
geological  record,  and  occurred,  in  part  at  least,  within  the 
human  period. 

The  raised  beaches  and  raised  sea-beds  of  the  north-east  are 
contemporaneous  more  or  less  with  the  Thracia  beds.  The 
same  amount  of  depression  which  would  account  for  the 
presence  of  a  5  to  10  fathom  fauna  in  the  clays,  at  the  levels 


The  Irish  Post-  Glacial  Estuari7ie  Deposits.  141 

where  they  are  now  found,  would  permit  of  the  accumulation 
in  shallow  water  of  the  stratified  implement-bearing  gravels  of 
lyarne,  and  the  similar  deposits  at  Ballyholme,  Greenore,  etc. 
lyow-level  raised  beaches,  such  as  that  at  Kilroot,  would  ap- 
pear to  have  been  thrown  down  as  the  land  finally  rose.  The 
raised  beaches,  on  account  of  their  greater  accessibility  and 
convenience  for  inspection,  have  received  much  more  attention 
from  Irish  geologists  than  have  the  estuarine  clays,  but  I  think 
I  have  shown  that  the  latter  form  a  far  more  complete  and 
reliable  geological  record  than  can  be  claimed  for  the  former. 

A  few  notes  of  comparison  between  the  fauna  of  the  estua- 
rine clays  and  that  now  existing  in  the  waters  of  the  north- 
east of  Ireland,  may  possess  some  interest  to  the  student  of 
conchology.  The  estuarine  clay  fauna  exhibits  a  rather  more 
southern  aspect  than  that  now  living:  the  difference  is  not 
great,  and  with  a  few  exceptions  all  the  estuarine  clay  species 
are  known  in  a  recent  state  in  Ireland,  but  those  species  which 
occur  in  the  clays,  and  are  not  members  of  the  present  fauna, 
are  in  general  southern  forms,  so  far,  at  least,  as  Ireland  is 
concerned.  Such  species  are  Tapes  decjcssatus,  Scrobicularia 
piperata,  Gastrana  fragilis,  Solent  vagijia,  Thracia  convexa, 
Nucula  sulcata;  some  of  these  still  live  close  to  the  borders  of 
the  district,  such  as  in  Lough  Swilly  on  the  west,  and  Carling- 
ford  lyough  on  the  south.  Solen  siliqua,  now  abundant  in  the 
district,  has  entirely  replaced  ^.  vagina,  which  is  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  the  clays.  Rissoa  albella,  which  as  a  recent 
British  species  is  confined  to  Bantr}^  Bay,  swarms  in  the  clays 
at  a  number  of  stations  in  Derry,  Antrim,  and  Down,  while 
R.  parva,  which  is  so  abundant  in  our  present  waters,  is  found 
in  the  cla5\s  but  sparingly.  Odostomia  viiiiiina,  our  smallest 
and  rarest  British  Odostomia,  occurs  in  numbers,  and  of  com- 
parativel}"  enormous  size,  in  the  estuarine  clay  of  Maghera- 
morne.  Jeffreysia  opalina,  which  is  onl}^  known  as  an  Irish 
shell  by  two  dead  specimens  obtained  in  Birterbuy  Bay,  is  not 
rare  in  the  clays  at  various  points.  The  estuarine  claj^  fauna 
is  not  only  varied,  but  exuberant,  many  species  attaining 
therein  a  size  which  is  not  reached  by  living  examples  in  the 
district,  and  which  is  in  some  cases  quite  abnormal. 

It  will  be  seen  from  what  has  been  said  that  this  series  of 
deposits  offers  a  fertile  field  of  inv.estigation  to  the  geological 
student,  and  is  well  worthy  of  stud}^  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
we  shall  sliortl}^  learn  something  of  similar  deposits  elsewhere 
in  Ireland.  A  bed  of  undoubted  estuarine  clay  occurs  at 
Clontarf,  from  which  Gastrana  fragilis,  Tapes  aui'ens,  and 
Scorbicularia  piperata  have  been  recorded ;  but  there  is  appa- 
rently no  information  obtainable  in  regard  to  the  presence  of 
these  clays  at  other  spots  on  the  coast  of  Ireland.  I  trust  that 
this  short  paper  may  have  the  effect  of  drawing  forth  some 
additional  facts,  and  of  inducing  others  to  carry  on  the  inves- 
tigation of  the  estuarine  deposits  of  Ireland. 


[    142    ] 

THE    COIvEOPTKRA    OF    THE    ARMAGH    DISTRICT. 

BY  RE:v.   W.    F.   JOHNSON,    M.A.    F.^.S. 


(^Conchided from  page  123.) 


HETEROMERA. 

Blaps  mucronata,  Latr. — In  cellars  and  outhouses — common. 
Salpinifus  seratus,  Muts.— Ivittle  Castledillon,  in  moss— rare. 
Rhinosimus  ruficoUis,  Iv.— Dean's  Hill,  Palace  Demesne,  on  trees— rare. 
R.  planirostris,  F. — Dean's  Hill,  Palace  Demesne,  on  trees  and  in  moss — 

pretty  common. 
Anaspis  frontalis,  L,. — Dean's  Hill,  Palace  Demesne,  sweeping — rare. 
A.  ruficollis,  F.  1  Mullinure,  etc.,  in  beating  whitethorn  and  sweep- 

A.  maciilata,  Fourc.  j      ing— common. 
Anthicus  floralis,  1^. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping,  also  in  hotbed — plentiful. 

CURCUlvIONID^. 

Apion  cerdo,  Thoms. — Mullinure,  sweeping — not  common. 

A.  subulatum,  Kirby. — Folly,  Mullinure,  sweeping — fairly  common. 

A.  cruentatum,  Watt. — Lowry's  Lough,  on  Eumex — not  common. 

A  vicise   Pavk  \  <^ommon    through- 

A.  viciK,  j-ciyK.  J      ^^^^     district bv 

A.  apricans,  Herbst.  {fagi,  Kirby,  assimilc,  Kirby)  >      „,„pp^:„„   ond   in 

A.  dichroum,  Bedel,  (flavipes,  F.)  j      ^oS 

A.  carduorum,  Kirby. — Mullinure,  Drummanmore  Lake,  by  sweeping — 

rare. 
A.  virens,  Herbst. — Common  throughout  district. 
A.  pisi,  F. — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure — rare. 
A.  striatum,  Kirby. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping — rare. 
A.  iniinune,  Kirby. — Lowry's  Lough — one  specimen. 
A.  ervi,  Kirb3^ — Very  common  throughout  district. 
A.  gyllenhali,  Kirby. — Lowry's  Lough,  Drummanmore — not  common. 
A.  vorax,  Herbst. — Dean's  Hill,  Palace  Demesne — not  common. 
A.  loti,  Kirby. — Mullinure,  in  moss— not  common. 
A.  tenue,  Kirby. — Foll}^,  Mullinure — not  common. 
A.  violaceum,  Kirb}^  \ 

A.  hydrolapatM,  Kirby.  |    Common  throughout  district. 

A.  liumile.  Germ.  ) 

Otiorrhynchus  ligneus,   01. — Vicar's   Cairn,   Loughnashade,  in  moSvS — 

not  common. 
O.  picipes,  F. 
O.  sulcatus,  F. 

Strophosomus  coryli,  F.  }    Common  throughout  district. 

Exomias  araneiformis,  Schrank. 
Sciapliilus  muricatus,  F. 
Tropiphorus  carinatus,  Miill. — INIullinure,  in  moss — rare. 
Liophloeus  nubilus,  F.— Mullinure,  in  moss— pretty  common. 
Phyllobius  oblongus,  L.  ) 

P.  argentatus,  !  Common  throughout  district. 

P.  viridiaeris,  Laich.  {uniformis,  Marsh.)   ) 

Barynotus  obscurus,  F.  j  p^-^.^^,  common  throughout  district,  in  moss, 
a,  sCiionii6m,  Z/etL.  /       p+-p 

B.  elevatus,  Marsh.  ) 

Alophus  triguttatus,  F.— Mullinure,  Loughnashade,  in   moss  and  by 

sweeping — not  common. 
Sitones   regensteinensis,  Herbst.— Lo\\ ry's   Lough,   etc.— common  on 

furze. 
S.  tibialis,  Herbst.— Common  throughout  district. 


-  Common  throughout  district. 


The  Co  leapt  era  of  the  Armagh  District.  143 

Sitones  hispidulus,  F. — Ivoughnashade,  in  moss,  Mullinure,  by  sweep- 
ing— not  common. 

S.  flavescens,  Marsh. 

S.  pimcticoUis,  Steph. 

S.  suturatis,  Steph.  \    Common  throughout  district. 

S.  lineatus,  Iv. 

S.  sxilcifroiis,  Thunb. 

Hypera  punctata,  F. 

H.  rumicis,  I/. 

H.  pollux,  F. 

H.  polyg-oni,  Iv. 

H.  variabilis,  Herbst. 

H.  trilineata.  Marsh. 

H.  nigrirostris,  F. 

Liosoma  ovatuluni,  Clairv.—  MuUinure,  Drummanbeg  Lake,  in  moss,  by 
sweeping — common. 

Curculio  abietis,  Iv. — In  houses,  Armagh  and  Killylea — not  plentiful. 

Orchestes  fag'i,  Iv. — Common  throughout  district. 

Rhamphus  flavicorins,  Clairv. — Drummanmore,  sweeping — not  common. 

Grypidius  equiseti,  F. — Common  throughout  district,  in  moss  and  by 
sweeping. 

Erirrhinus  scirpi,  F. — Folly,  in  numbers  on  an  alder  bush,  Mullinure, 
Ivowry's  IvOugh,  in  moss — common. 

E.  acridulus,  Iv. — Common  throughout  district. 

E.  sethiops,  F. — Mullinure,  in  flood  rubbish,  moss,  on  Sixtrganmm,  and 
by  sweeping,  occurs  in  large  numbers  at  times.  I  have  also  taken 
it  in  moss  from  Lowry's  Lough. 

Dorytomus  maculatus,  Marsh. — Loughnashade,  Mullinure,  on  sallows. 
I  have  bred  it  from  sallow  catkins. 

Tanysphyrus  lemnse,  F. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss 
pretty  common. 

Bagous  lutulosus,  G3dl. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — one  specimen. 

B.  lutosus,  Gyll. — ^Lowry's  Lough- -one  specimen  by  sweeping  water- 
plants. 

B.  glabrirostris,  Herbst. — Mullinure,  Loughnashade,  in  moss — rare. 
Gymnetron  villosulus,  Gyll. — Lowry's  Lough,  one  specimen,  sweeping 

water  plants. 
G.  labilis,  Herbst. — Dean's  Hill,  Mullinure,  by  sweeping  and  in  moss — 

rare. 
Mecinus    pyr aster,   Herbst. — Mullinure,   in   moss    and    under   bark — 

common. 
Aixthouoinus   ulmi,    De   G. — Mullinure,    by    beating    whitethorn — one 

specimen. 
A.  pedicularius,  L. — Common  on  flowers  of  whitethorn  and  in  moss. 
A.  rubi,  Herbst. — Mullinure,  sweeping — not  common. 
A.  comari,  Crotch. — Mullinure,  in  moss  and  by  sweeping — not  common. 
Orobitis  cyaneus,  L. — Lowry's  Lough,  Vicar's  Cairn,  in  moss — rare. 
Coeliodes  rubicundus,  Herbst. — Mullinure,  by  sweeping— not  common. 

It  is  plentiful  at  Churchill,  about  ten  miles  from  Armagh. 

C.  quadrimaculatus,  L. — Common  throughout  district  on  Urtica  dioica. 
Poophagus   sisymbrii,  F.— Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  etc.,  on  water 

plants— common. 

Ceuthorrhynchus  assimilis,  Pa5'k.— Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure,  Lough- 
nashade, in  moss  and  by  sweeping — pretty  common. 

C.  cochlearise,  Gyll.— Mullinure,  Palace  Demesne,  in  moss— not  common. 

C.  erysimi,  F.  |    Common  throughout  district,  in  moss  and  by 

C.  contractus.  Marsh.  sweeping. 

C.  poUinarius,  Forst.   j  ^     ^ 

C.  viduatus,  Gyll.— Lowry's  Lough,  sweeping— one  specimen. 
C.  pleurostigfma,  Marsh,  {sidcicollis,  Gyll.)— Lowry's  Lough,  Loughna- 
shade, Mullinure,  in  moss — rare. 


144  1^^^^  hish  Natiwalist. 

Ceuthorrhynchus    punctig-er,    Gyll.— Mullinure,    dowry's    Lough,    in 

moss  and  by  sweeping— pretty  common. 
Ceuthorrhyncliiclius  troglodytes,  F.  |  Common  throughout  the  district 
BiMnoncus  pericarpius,  L,.  ]      by  sweeping  and  in  moss. 

R.  perpendicularis,   Reich,   (subfasciatus,  Gyll.) — Lowry's  Lough,   Mul- 
linure, sweeping— common. 
Eubrychius  velatus,  Beck. — Lowr3^'s  Lough,  on  water  plants — rare. 
Litodactylus    leucogaster,    Marsh. — Lowry's    Lough,    etc.    on    water 

plants — common. 
Phytobius  quadrituberculatus,  F. — Mullinure,  in  moss — one  specimen. 
P.  canaliculatus,  Fiihr. — Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss  and  on  water  plants — 

not  common. 
Limxiobaris  t-album,    Loughgall,    Lowry's    Lough,    by  sweeping — not 

common. 
Balaninus  salicivorus,  Payk.  (hrassicce,  F.) — Lowry's  Lough,  Mullinure, 

sweeping — not  comnign. 
B.  pyrrhoceras,  Marsh.— Mullinure,  sweeping — rare. 
Hylastes  ater,  Paj^k. — Dean's  Hill,  sweeping— rare. 
Pityogenes    bideiitatus,    Herbst.    {hidciis,    F.) — One    specimen    in    my 

garden. 

ADDENDA. 

Stenolophus  elegfans,  Dej. — Lowr3^'s  Lough,  under  stones — rare. 
Octhebius  rufimargiiiatus,  Steph. — Drummanmore,  in  flood  rubbish — 

rare. 
Quedius  maurorufus,  Grav. — Loughnashade,  in  moss. 
Philonthus  seneus,  Rossi. — In  hotbed  in  my  garden — rare. 
Ph.  carbonarius,  Gyll. — Drummanbeg  Lake,  Lowry's  Lough,  in  moss — 

rare. 
Stenus  picipes,  Steph.— Lowry's  Lough,  by  sweeping— rare. 
Neiiraphes  elongatulns,  Miill.  —  Mullinure,  in  moss— rare. 
Scapliisoma  agraricinum,  L.— Lowry's  Lough,  sweeping— furze. 
Telephorus  nigricans,  Miill-  Loughgall  Manor  Demesne — sweeping. 
Ochina  hederse,  Miill.— Loughgall  Manor  Demesne— sweeping. 
Crepidodera  rufipes,  L. —  Vide  I.  N.,  p.  122.     I  have  taken  a  large  number 

on  Vicia  in  Drummanmore. 
CeuthorrhyncMdius  floralis,  Payk.— Little  Castledillon,  Drummanmore 

and  in  a  garden,  in  moss  and  by  sweeping. 

CORRIGENDUM. 

Page  58,  line  20  from  bottom,  for  Q.  attenuatns,  Gyll,  read  Q.  boops,  Grav. 


NOTES 


BOTANY. 


PHANEROGAMS. 

Whitk  Centaury  (Erythrsea  centaurium)  in  Co.  Cork.  I  enclose 
a  specimen  of  white  Centaury  which  I  have  lately  found  on  the  roadside 
here.  The  rose-coloured  Centaury,  Erythrcea  centaurium,  is  very  common, 
but  I  have  never  seen  the  white  before,  and  shall  be  glad  to  know  if  it  is 
considered  rare,  and  its  exact  name  ? — ^J.  H.  Bennett,  Monkstown,  Co.  Cork. 

Erythrcea  centaurium  is  a  very  variable  plant,  the  colour  of  the  flowers  is 
usuall}^  pink  inclining  to  red.  The  white  form  is  not  recognised  as  a 
distinct  variety,  but  we  have  a  specimen  collected  on  the  Hill  of  Howth, 
Co.  Dublin,  by  the  late  Dr.  Moore,  which  he  named  E.  centaurium  var. 
album. — D.  M'Ardle,  Glasnevin. 

Specularia  hybrida  in  Co.  Dublin.  Towards  the  end  of  July  last, 
while  botanizing  in   the   neighbourhood   of  Baldoyle,  I  found   several 


Notes.  145 

plants  of  this  species  growing  with  Palaver  argemoiie  and  P.  hyhridum  in  a 
wheat- field  alongside  the  Howth  railway  line.  As  there  would  appear  to 
be  no  previous  Irish  record  for  the  Specularia,  which  is  widely  distributed 
in  eastern  England,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  note  here  what  is  perhaps 
the  first  appearance  of  the  species  in  Irelarid.  The  Baldoyle  specimens 
bore  abundance  of  mature  seeds,  and  it  would  be  of  considerable  interest 
to  observe  whether  the  species  succeeds  in  maintaing  its  ground  in  this 
station.  In  their  description  of  the  species,  none  of  the  authorities  I 
have  consulted,  English  or  Continental,  make  any  reference  to  the 
peculiar  pair  of  bracts,  placed  about  the  middle  of  the  capsule,  which  are 
a  marked  feature  in  the  Baldoyle  plant. — Nathaniel  Colgan,  Dublin. 

Spirantlies  romanzoffiana  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  To  the 
Journal  of  Botany  for  September,  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger  contributes  an 
article  on  the  recent  discovery  of  this  extremely  rare  plant  in  the  north 
of  Ireland,  which  it  has  recently  been  his  good  fortune  to  make.  This 
orchid,  whose  only  previously  known  stations  are  Kamtschatka  and  Co. 
Cork,  grows  in  Co.  Armagh,  on  a  wet  worked-out  bog,  where  its  appear- 
ance is  described  by  Mr.  Praeger  as  being  somewhat  different  from  that 
of  the  Cork  plant.  The  finding  of  this  species  in  the  north  of  Ireland  is 
a  highly  interesting  botanical  discovery,  and  is  a  very  big  feather  in  the 
cap  of  our  northern  botanists.  We  are  glad  to  observe  that  the  discovery 
was  made  during  the  field-work  entailed  by  the  preparation  of  a  paper 
for  the  Prish  Naturalist  on  the  Flora  of  Co.  Armagh,  which  will  shortly 
appear  in  our  pages. 

ZOOLOGY. 


I  N  S  PI  G  T  S  . 

BuTTKRFivY  Reappearances,  By  a  curious  coincidence,  the  Septem- 
ber number  of  Prish  Naturalist  contains  two  notes  on  recent  reappearances 
of  butterflies,  Mr.  W.  E.  Hart  recording  a  "  burst"  of  the  Ringlet  Butter- 
fly in  Donegal,  after  an  interval  of  thirty-one  summers,  while  the  Rev. 
W.  F.  Johnson  reports  from  Armagh  the  reappearance,  after  several  years' 
absence,  of  the  "  Painted  Lady."  As  a  supplemental  note  I  may  add  that 
the  "  Greasy  Fritillary"  {Melitcea  aurinia)  reappeared  this  season  in  a  small 
patch  of  boggy  ground  at  Ballyhyland,  in  which  it  was  very  plentiful 
from  1877  to  1883,  and  sought  for  in  vain  by  me  every  summer  since  until 
the  present  year.  The  insect  has  three  other  localities  within  about  five 
miles;  but  as  there  are  a  score  of  intermediate  spots,  to  all  appearance 
quite  as  suitable  to  its  habits,  Avhich  it  does  not  frequent,  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  account  for  its  return  to  the  favoured  piece  of  ground  above  referred 
to.  When  I  repaired  to  the  locality  this  3'ear  it  was  towards  the  end  of 
the  fritillary's  season,  and  I  saw  but  two  sadly  battered  and  broken-down 
specimens ;  but  these  were  enough  to  satisfy  m,e  that  M.  aurinia  had  once 
more  flourished  in  her  long-deserted  haunts. 

The  Ringlet  Butterfly  is  here  one  of  our  commonest  species,  in  shady 
places  almost  V3'ing  with  the  Speckled  Wood  {Parargc  cegeria)  in  profusion  ; 
but  though  accustomed  to  see  it  thus  plentiful,  I  took  note  of  its  particu- 
lar abundance  in  July  last,  more  than  ohe  of  its  congeners  having  struck 
me  as  less  common  than  usual  this  year.  About  Dublin  the;Ringlet  would 
seem  to  be  somewhat  more  local,  but  I  have  seen  it  swarming  beside  the 
Ro3^al  Canal  not  more  than  seven  or  eight  miles  from  town,  and  seeing 
that  our  museum  authorities  until  recently  labeled  it  "  rare  in  Ireland," 
I  feel  sure  that  notes  on  its  distribution  throughout  other  parts  of  the 
country  would  be  very  welcome. 

Apparently  it  is  a  creature  of  strongly  gregarious  predilections,  and  I 
venture  to  put  forward  the  view  that  in  a  season  of  exceptional  increase 
its  larvae  may  find  it  expedient  to  migrate  in  large  numbers.  That  many 
caterpillars  are  very  methodical  in  their  migration  is  well  known.  There 
are  difiiculties  in  the  way  of  every  explanation  of  insect-swarms ;  it  seems 
impossible  to  find  one  fitting  the  extreme  cases.     But  if  Mr.  Hart  could 


146  The  Irish  Natitralist. 

ascertain  the  nearest  constant  habitat  to  Kilderry  of  Einnephile  hypcranthes 
we  might  be  in  a  better  position  to  judge  of  the  tenability  of  this  sugges- 
tion.    Imago  migration  will  not  plausibly  explain  the  appearance,  if  un- 
heralded, of  a  swarm  of  fresh-looking  specimens,  least  of  all  in  the  case  of 
so  delicate  and  short-lived  a  fly  as  E.  hyjjeranthes. — C.  B.  Moffat,  Ballyhy- 
land,  Co.  Wexford. 


F IS  RES  . 

The   Bi,ack-fish     (Centroloplius   pompilus),  in    Dingi^e    Bay.     A 

specimen  of  this  very  rare  fish  was  recently  captured  in  a  mackerel-net 
at  the  entrance  of  Dingle  Bay,  and  was  forwarded  to  me  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Anderson.  This  is  the  second  occurence  of  the  fish  in  Irish  waters,  the 
first  specimen  having  also  been  taken  in  Dingle  Bay,  by  the  late  Mr.  W. 
Andrews.  Both  of  them  are  now  in  the  Dublin  Museum.  C.  pominlus 
ranges  from  the  Mediterranean  along  the  Portuguese  coast,  the  west 
coast  of  France,  and  south-west  coasts  of  Bngland  and  Ireland. — R.  F. 
Scharff,  Dublin. 


BIRDS. 

The  Long-eared  Owi,  (Asio  otus)  as  a  resident  in  Co.  Cork. 
In  answer  to  Miss  Donovan's  question,  (/  N.,  p.  126)  I  ma}^  say,  that  I 
have  found  this  species  nesting  in  most  of  the  suitable  woods  in  east  Cork, 
where  I  have  looked  for  it.  I  have  also  seen  the  bird,  and  found  the 
pellets  in  woods  where  I  was  unable  to  find  the  nest. 

A  good  many  specimens  from  different  parts  of  the  county  are  sent  to 
the  taxidermists  from  time  to  time.  The  finding  of  only  one  egg  in  the 
nest,  nearl}'  hatched,  is  not  an  uncommon  occurence,  and  I  think  may  be 
accounted  for  b}'  Hooded  Crows.  — W.  B.  Barrington,  Cork. 

The  Long-eared  Owl  is  the  commonest  species  of  owl  in  all  the  wooded 
parts  of  the  county,  and  is  especially  numerous  in  the  wooded  demesnes 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  harbour,  and  notably  so  in  Coolmore  demesne, 
I  have  generally  found  the  young  in  the  old  nests  of  Magpies,  or  Rooks, 
generally  in  the  densest  tracts  of  the  woods. — Robert  Warren,  Moy  View, 
Ballina. 

Supposed  Eggs  of  SheIvDRAke  (Tadorna  cornuta)  from  Lough 
Erne.  I  have  to  apologise  to  Mr.  Praeger  for  want  of  deliberation  in 
determining  an  egg  he  sent  me,  one  of  two  that  he  obtained  among  long 
grass  on  the  top  of  Bess  Island  in  Lough  Erne,  and  which  he  believed  to 
be  those  of  Sheldrake  (see  /.  iV^.,  p.  iii). 

From  the  size  and  whiteness  of  the  egg,  which  led  me  to  acquiesce  in 
this  conclusion,  one  might  at  first  suppose  it  to  be  a  Sheldrake's;  but  the 
fact  of  the  nest  being  found,  not  in  a  burrow,  but  in  the  open,  on  an 
island  in  a  freshwater  lake  so  far  from  the  sea,  coupled  with  the  absence 
of  information  as  to  the  appearance  of  the  parent  bird  or  of  the  down  in 
the  nest  (an  invaluable  criterion),  make  it  impossible  to  say  with  certainty 
whether  the  eggs  were  laid  by  a  vSheldrake  or  b}^  an  escaped  domestic 
duck.  I  believe  there  is  no  instance  on  record  of  the  Sheldrake  breeding 
elsewhere  than  in  a  burrow,  or,  exceptionally,  in  very  dense  furze.  Mr. 
Praeger's  eggs  measure  2.72  in.  x  1.87  in.,  and  2.5  in.  x  1.81  in.,  the  larger 
one  tapering  at  both  ends.  They  are  pure  white,  destitute  of  the  creamy 
tint  and  smoothness  of  Sheldrake's  eggs  in  my  collection.  This  is  an  in- 
stance of  the  danger  of  giving  an  opinion  as  to  the  species  of  eggs,  the 
parentage  of  which  has  not  been  ascertained  upon  the  spot. — R.  J.  Ussher, 
Cappagh  Co.  Waterford. 

Ihe  Litti^e  Stint  (Tringa  minuta,  Leister)  AT  Inch,  Co.  Donegal,. 
I  have  to  record  a  couple  of  these  interesting  little  waders,  which  were 
shot  on  Saturday,  3rd  Sept.,  and  submitted  to  me  for  identification.  They 
had  evidently  just  arrived,  as  they  were  described  by  the  person  who  shot 
them  as  being  very  tame.  The}'  were  solitary,  and  were  sprung  from  a 
small  piece  of  flooded  meadow-land  not  far  from  the  shore. — T.  I).  Bland, 
Londonderry. 


Notes.  147 

The  Spotted  Redshank  (Totanus  fuscus)  in  IreIvAND.  To  the 
Irish  Sportsman  of  August  20th,  Mr.  Robert  Warren  contributed  an  inter- 
esting article  on  this  subject.  He  gives  particulars  of  the  five  specimens 
obtained  in  Ireland,  and  describes  his  various  hunts  after  the  species, 
which  has  visited  the  Moy  estuary  on  frequent  occasions. 

Br,ACK-TAii,ED  GoDWiT  (Limosa  "belgica)  on  Lough  Swii,i.y.  Several 
of  these  birds  have  recently  visited  the  Reclamation  Slob,  at  Inch,  Lough 
Swilly.  One,  shot  by  ni}-  son,  Mr.  H.  A.  Leebody,  on  August  i8th,  I  have 
had  preserved.  He  secured  another  specimen  on  August  29th.  The 
Bar-tailed  Godwit  is  common  enough  at  Inch  in  vSeptember  ancLOctober, 
but  I  have  not  previously  noticed  the  Black-tailed. — ^J.  R.  Leebody, 
Londonderry. 

Occurrence  of  the  Ruddy  SheIvDR.\ke  (Tadorna  rutila)  in 
Co.  Cork.  An  adult  female  of  this  species  was  shot  in  Cork  Harbour  on 
the  4th  August,  out  of  a  flock  of  three.  The  plumage  was  in  perfect  con- 
dition, and  showed  no  traces  of  its  having  been  in  captivity.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  ornamental  water  in  the  neighbourhood,  where  the  birds 
could  have  escaped  from.  It  is  probable  that  owing  to  the  widespread 
occurrence  of  this  species  over  the  British  Isles  the  last  few  months,  that 
there  may  be  other  small  flocks  along  the  southern  coast  of  Ireland, 
which  have  escaped  observation,  or  have  not  been  recorded. — W.  B. 
Barrington,  Cork. 

Ruddy  Shei^drakes  (Tadorna  rutila)  in  Irei<and.  Ruddy  Shel- 
drakes continue  to  be  reported  from  various  parts  of  this  country,  as  well 
as  from  England  and  Scotland,  and  there  would  appear  to  be  reason 
to  suppose  that  a  flock  of  wild  birds  from  the  far  east  has  visited 
our  shores;  a  number  of  letters  discussing  the  wild  or  domestic  origin  of 
the  strangers  will  be  found  in  the  last  few  issues  of  the  Field.  The  Irish 
Sportsman  of  July  23rd,  contains  notice  of  a  flock  of  seven  on  the  Dublin 
coast;  Mr.  H.  C.  Levinge  reports  to  Mr.  Usslier  {Zoologist  for  September) 
two  in  Co.  Westmeath ;  Mr.  W.  A.  Hamilton  records  three  at  Coolmore, 
Ballyshannon  {Field,  August  20th);  and  Mr.  D.  C.  Campbell  writes  that  a 
flock  of  six  were  seen  at  Inch,  Lough  Swilly,  of  w^hicli  one  was  shot 
{Field,  August  27th).  

MAMMALS. 

Hybrid  between  Hare  and  Rabbit  (Lepus  variabilis  and  L.  cu- 

niculus).  In  the  month  of  June  a  specimen  of  a  curious  hare  was  for- 
warded to  me  from  Tullintrain,  Co.  Derry.  It  was  considered  by  the 
sender  to  be  an  unheard  of  occurrence — a  cross  between  a  rabbit  and  hare. 
I  think  these  hybrids  partake  more  of  the  nature  of  a  hare;  in  that  they 
do  not  burrow,  run  very  quickly,  and  are  said  to  be  even  more  difficult 
to  kill  than  the  ordinary  hare.  The  one  now  in  my  possession  is  like  a 
hare  in  general  shape  and  size,  with  long  legs ;  also  the  fur  along  the 
chest  and  under  parts  is  that  of  a  hare.  It  resembles  a  rabbit  in  shape  and 
size  of  head  and  ears.  The  fur  on  head  and  along  the  sides  and  back,  is 
greyish  brown,  like  that  of  the  wild  rabbit.  The  tail  is  about  three 
inches  long  and  almost  white.  This  specimen,  when  living,  was  caught 
by  greyhounds,  and  its  voice  was  said,  to  be  like  that  of  a  hare.  I  will 
be  pleased  to  hear  if  any  readers  of  the  Irish  Naturalist  have  come  across 
instances  of  hybrids  between  these  animals,  with  any  remarks  as  to  their 
habits,  etc. — Arthur  J.  Collins,  Belfast. 


NOTICE. 

A  series  of  papers  on  "The  Earthworms  of  Ireland,"  will  be 
commenced  in  the  January  number  of  the  Irish  Nahwalist,  by 
Rkv.  Hilderic  Friend,  F.Iy.S.,  of  Idle,  Bradford,  Yorkshire. 

Mr.  Friend  will  be  grateful  for  w^orms  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  They  should  be  sent  alive  in  damp  earth  or  moss,  in 
metal  boxes.  Packages  should  be  marked  "Natural  History 
Specimens." 


[   148  ] 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    IRISH  SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOIyOGICAI,  SOCIETY. 

Recent  donations  comprise  fourteen  lizards  from  J.  A.  Abbott,  Esq. ; 
a  Heron  from  Master  Monson;  a  Syrian  Rat  from  H.  Napier,  Esq.;  a 
Parrakeet  from  C.  R.  C.  Tichborne,  Esq.;  two  Guinea-pigs  from  the 
Misses  Ponsonby ;  a  Monkey  from  S.  Grey,  Esq. ;  a  Peregrine  Falcon 
from  J.  Deane,  Esq. ;  and  a  Gannet  from  F.  C.  Wallace,  Esq.  A  Grizzly 
Bear  and  two  Angora  Goats  have  been  purchased.  About  i6,ooq  persons 
visited  the  Gardens  in  August. 

BElvFAST  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI.D   CI,UB. 

August  13th. — Half-day  excursion  to  Giant's  Ring  and  Drumbo.  A 
party  of  over  sixty  drove  out  and  visited  the  interesting  prehistoric  site  of 
Giant's  Ring,  and  the  ruined  round  tower  at  Drumbo. 

August  27th. — Excursion  down  the  Lagan  Canal.  A  party  of  no  less 
than  120  took  train  to  Moira,  where  horses  and  boats  were  waiting,  by 
aid  of  which  a  delightful  water-journey  of  twenty  miles  was  made  back 
to  Belfast.  A  prize  for  the  best  collection  of  aquatic  plants  was  won  by 
Mr.  R.  Hanna.  Among  the  best  species  obtained  during  the  day  were 
Acorus  calamus,  GiciUa,  Butomus,  Sagittaria,  Hypericum  dubium,  Equisctum 
hyemale,  Orthotrichum  sprucci. 

September  loth. — Half-day  excursion  to  Knockagh,  when  a  large 
party  spent  an  instructive  afternoon  examining  the  cliffs  and  slopes  of  this 
fine  basaltic  hill.  The  season  was  far  advanced  for  botanising,  but  some 
good  plants  were  obtained. 

DUBININ  NATURAWSTS'   FIEI.D  CI^UB. 

September  3rd. — Twenty-four  members  joined  the  excursion  to  Dalkey 
Sound  and  Island.  A  high  wind  and  rough  sea  rather  interfered  with  the 
dredging  operations,  but  several  hauls  were  taken  off  the  southern  shore 
of  the  island.  A  number  of  common  hj'droids,  pol^^zoa,  and  shells  were 
obtained;  noteworthy  captures  were  two  perfect  specimens  of  the  small 
bivalve  Astarte  triangularis,  Mont. ;  this  shell  is  local  and  rare  on  the  Irish 
coasts.  Thompson  mentions  that  a  single  living  specimen  was  obtained 
at  Dalkey  by  dredging  in  1840,  and  this  is  the  onl)^  record  given  in  the 
"  British  Association  Guide  to  the  Fauna  of  Dublin,  etc."  1878.  Turton, 
however,  has  recorded  the  var.  minutissima,  Max.,  from  Dublin  Bay  and 
Portmarnock.  Among  numerous  common  echinoderms,  two  young  spe- 
cimens of  Solaster  2)apposa,  L.,  were  remarkable,  each  about  5  in  diameter. 
One  of  the  specimens  has  thirteen  ra^^s,  but  the  other  only  eleven,  which 
is  an  unusual  number  for  this  species.  The  pygnogonid,  Nymphon  rubrum, 
Hodge,  was  dredged ;  this  species  does  not  seem  to  have  been  before  re- 
corded in  Irish  waters,  it  has  been  found  off  the  Norwegian  and  northern 
British  coasts. 

The  botanical  results  of  the  excursion  are  given  in  Mr.  McArdle's  paper 
(p-  I33)'  Oil  account  of  the  high  wind,  there  were  hardly  any  insects 
stirring,  but,  considering  the  small  size  of  the  island  and  the  absence  of 
wood,  the  spider- fauna  was  found  to  be  varied;  Epcira  diaclemata  and  Zilla 
atrica  had  their  webs  on  the  faces  and  in  the  clefts  of  the  granite  rocks, 
the  latter  species  being  singularly  abundant;  Lcphthypliantes  tcnebricola  and 
Amaurohius  fencstralis  occurred  sparingl}';  but  it  was  hardly  possible  to 
turn  over  a  stone  without  finding  Textrix  denticulata.  The  only  harvest- 
man  observed  was  Phalangium  ojnlio. 

The  members  were  kindly  entertained  at  tea  by  Mr.  T.  H.  Webb,  and 
a  microscopic  demonstration  of  some  of  the  species  obtained  was  after- 
wards given  by  Prof.  Haddon. 


Vol..  I.  NOVKMBER,  1892.  No.  8. 

THE  IRISH  IvAND  AND  FRESHWATER   MOEI.USCA. 

BY  R.  F.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 


[Contimied from  page  109,) 


GASTROPODA. 
P  U  L  M  0  N  A   T  A  . 


Genus— ALEXIA. 

The  introduction  of  this,  and  the  iiext  genus  among  the  Land  and 
Freshwater  Mollusca,  may  seem  to  many  conchologists  somewhat  out  of 
place ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  these  genera  contain  no  truly 
marine  forms.  All  the  species  of  Alexia  and  Alelamiyus  inhabit  brackish 
water,  and  they  are  very  closely  allied  to  Carychium. 

Alexia  denticulata,  Mont. 

—    II.     _    —    V.     —    —    —    IX.    ^    —    XII. 

Although  probably  more  widely  spread  round  the  coast,  it  has  only  as 
yet  been  recorded  from  a  few  localities. 
Foreign  Distribution. — England,  Wales,  and  west  coast  of  France, 

Genus— MELAMPUS. 

Melampus  bidentatus,  MonT. 
—    —    —    —    V.    —    —    —    —    —    XL    — 

According  to  Thompson  (15)  this  species  is  "general  along  the  coast  of 
Ireland,"  but  he  mentions  no  particular  localities.  It  occurs  at  Port- 
marnock  (5),  and  Sheephaven  (Hart). 

Foreign  Distribution. — Coast  of  Great  Britain,  north  and  west  coast 
of  France,  Mediterranean,  Adriatic,  and  coast  of  Madeira. 

Genus— OTINA. 

To  judge  merely  from  habitat,  this  genus  might  reasonably  be  included 
among  the  marine  IVIoUusca,  as  it  is  by  many  conchologists,  but  the 
family  Otinidcc  to  which  it  belongs  includes  several  terrestrial  and  fresh- 
water forms,  the  genus  Otina  being  the  only  one  which  has  adapted 
itself  to  salt-water,  as  it  lives  between  tide-marks. 


150  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Otina  otis,  Turton. 
_    —    -     _    _    VI.    —    VIII.    —    —    —    _ 

Thompson  (15)  placed  this  species  under  the  genus  Velutina,  but  the 
only  British  species  (F.  laevigata  and  V.2^licatilis)  belong  to  quite  a  different 
family.  Prof.  Harve}-  was  the  first  to  discover  0.  otis  at  Milltown- 
Malbay  on  the  Clare  coast,  and  it  has  since  been  found  on  the  Galway 
coast  (15). 

Foreign  Distribution. — South  coasts  of  England  and  Wales,  Isle 
of  Man,  Arran,  N.  B.,  north  and  west  coasts  of  France. 

GenuS-AMPHIPEPLEA. 

Amphipeplea  glutinosa,  Miiller. 
—    —    —     —    V.     —    VII.     —    —     —    —    XII. 

This  was  not  known  to  Thompson  (15)  as  an  Irish  shell,  but  Mr.  C. 
Ashford  (14)  found  it  abundantly  under  the  leaves  of  the  Water  Lily  in 
several  parts  of  Ireland,  and  it  is  reported  (5)  to  have  been  found  in  the 
Grand  Canal  Harbour  in  Dublin. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England,  Sweden,  north  and  south  Ger- 
many, north  France,  Galicia,  and  Syria. 

Genus  — LIMN.SI  A. 

Limnaea  stagfnalis,  L. 

—    —    —    —    V.    VI.     VII.     —    XI.     X.     —    XII. 

This  species  has  never  been  taken  in  the  south-west  or  north-west  of 
Ireland,  but  in  eastern  Ireland,  and  especially  around  Dublin,  it  is  fairly 
common. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England,  south  Scotland,  Scandinavia, 
Finland,  Russia,  Germany,  France,  Switzerland,  Austria,  Transylvania, 
Turkey,  Caucasus,  north  Italy,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 

Limnaea  auricularia,  T,. 
I?    —    —    —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     —    X.    —    — 

This  species,  like  the  last,  is  not  common,  and  appears  to  be  quite 
absent  from  the  south-west  and  north-west  of  Ireland,  the  only  record 
from  the  former  region  being  doubtful  (7). 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  France,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily,  Spain,  Portugal, 
Algiers,  Morocco,  Cape  Verd  Islands,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 

Limnaea  involuta,  Harvey. 
I.     ___________ 


A  short  description  of  the  anatomy  of  this  interesting  mollusc  has 
been  given  by  Goodsir  (4),  but  a  more  minute  investigation  is  much 
needed.  It  was  first  discovered  in  1832  by  Mr.  Harvey,  in  Crimcaun 
Lake,  on  the  Cromaglaun  Mountain,  near  Killarney.  It  has  never  been 
found  an}"\vhere  else,  but  a  closely  allied  species,  Z.  burnetti^  occurs  in 
Wales  and  Scotland. 

Limnsea  peregfra,  Miiller. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     VI.     VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XL     XIL 

The  fact  that  this  species  has  been  recorded  from  every  district  in 
Ireland  shows  that  it  is  very  common,  and  it  is  so  variable  that  scores  of 


The  Irish  Land  and  Freshwater  Molhisca.  151 

named  varieties  are  known  to  conchologists.  A  very  remarkable  variety 
has  recently  been  discovered  by  Mr.  R.  Patterson  in  Lough  Salt,  Co. 
Donegal. 

Foreign  Distribution.— Great  Britain,  Faroe  Islands,  Iceland,  Sicily, 
throughout  continental  Europe,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 


Limnaea  palustris,  Miiller. 
I.     II.     —    —    V.     VI.    VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

Like  the  last,  this  species  probably  occurs  throughout  Ireland,  but  it 
is  not  by  any  means  so  common. 

Foreign  Distribution.— Great  Britain,  and  throughout  continental 
Europe,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 


Limnsea  glabra,  Miiller. 

__    —    —    —    —    —    —    XII. 


This  is  a  very  rare  species,  and  has  hitherto  only  been  found  near  Cork 
and  Belfast. 

Foreign  Distribution.— Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  north 
Germany,  France  and  Spain. 


Liinnsea  truncatula,  Miiller. 
I.     II.    —    IV.     V.    VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     XL     XII. 

This,  the  smallest  species  of  Limncsa,  is  often  found  at  very  considerable 
elevations  in  mountain  springs,  but  occurs  less  commonly  on  the  plain. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Iceland,  throughout  contin- 
ental Europe,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Canaries,  Madeira,  Siberia,  and  North 
America. 

Genus— PHYSA. 

Fhysa  foutinalis,  L. 

I.     II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.    VII.     —    IX.     X.     —    — 

According  to  Thompson  (15)  this  species  is  common,  and  generally  dis- 
tributed over  Ireland,  but  I  myself  do  not  quite  share  his  opinion,  as  I 
have  rarely  met  with  it. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Germany,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy,  France, 
Spain,  Siberia,  and  North  America. 

Genus— APLEXA. 

Aplexa  hypnorum,  L. 

I.     II.     —    —    V.     VI.     —    VIII.     IX.     —    —    — 

This  species  has  generally  been  united  with  Ph.  fontinalis  under  the 
genus  Physa,  but  it  differs  in  the  mantle  being  devoid  of  the  fringes,  and 
scarcely  reflected  over  the  shell.  It  is  rather  local  in  Ireland,  but  has 
been  recorded  from  both  the  west  and  east  coast  and  Achill  Island. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transjdvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  France,  Spain,  Siberia,  and 
North  America. 


152  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Genus —PL  ANORBIS. 

Planorbis  corneus,  L. 
I?     —     III.     —    V.     VL     —    —    —    —    —    — 

The  largest  Irish  species  of  Planorbis,  this  is  also  one  of  the  rarest,  and 
inhabits  a  comparatively  small  tract  in  central  Ireland.  The  Dingle 
record,  mentioned  by  Thompson  (15),  has  not  been  confirmed,  and  re- 
mains doubtful. 

Fore;ign  Distribution. — England,  south  Scandinavia,  Russia,  Tran- 
S3'lvania,  Austria,  Germany,  France,  north  Italy,  Corsica,  and  west 
Siberia. 

Planorbis  marginatus,  Drap. 
I.     II.     —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     —    —    X,     XI.     XII. 

This  has  a  much  wider  distribution  in  Ireland  than  the  last,  but 
becomes  rarer  in  the  west.  It  is  probably  PL  umbilicatus  of  Muller  and 
Thompson. 

Fore;ign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  Ital}^,  Sicily, 
France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Morocco,  and  west  Siberia. 

Planorbis  carinatus,  Muller. 
I.     II.     III.     —    V.     VI.     VII.     —    —    X.     —    XII. 

As  Thompson  (15)  has  already  mentioned,  this  species  is  muchless 
common  than  the  preceding.  It  frequents  the  same  localities,  viz : — 
stagnant  waters. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Germany, 
Austria,  Switzerland,  France,  north  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal. 

Planorbis  vortex,  L. 
I.?     —    —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     —    —    X.     —    — 

The  record  by  Humphreys  (7)  seems  to  me  doubtfully  referable  to  this 
species,  and  although  Thompson  (15)  considered  it  generally  distributed, 
our  present  knowledge  of  the  distribution  does  not  warrant  such  a  belief. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  Italy,  France,  and 
Siberia. 

Planorbis  spirorbis,  Iv. 

I.     II.     III.     IV.     V.     VI.     VII.     —     IX.     —    —    XII. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  generally  distributed  species  of  Planorbis  in 
Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Germany,  France, 
Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  and  Morocco. 

Planorbis  contortus,  L. 

I.     II.     —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    XI.     XII. 

I/ike  the  last,  this  may  be  looked  upon  as  generally  distributed  over 
Ireland. 

Foreign  DIvSTribuTion. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Trans3'lvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  France, 
Spain,  Portugal,  Siberia,  and  Kanischatka. 

Planorbis  albus,  Muller. 
I.     II.     —     _    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX    X.     XI.     XII. 
According  to  Thompson  (15)  this  species  prevails  generally  over  Ireland. 


The  Irish  Land  and  Freshwater  Mollusca.  153 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Finland,  Russia, 
Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  north  Italy,  France,  Spain, 
Portugal,  Thibet,  China,  Siberia,  and  North  America  (/'.  hirsutus,  Gould). 

Flanorbis  glaber,  Jeffreys. 
—     II.     —    —    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     —     —    XI.     XII. 

Alder  described  this  species  as  F.  IcEvis  about  the  same  time  as  Jeffreys, 
and  under  this  name  it  is  mentioned  by  Thompson  (15).  PL  parvus  of  Say, 
a  North  American  species,  if  not  identical  with  PL  glaber,  is  very  closely 
allied. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  north  and  south 
Germany,  Bohemia,  Hungary,  Belgium,  Corsica,  Sardinia,  Sicily,  Algiers, 
Morocco,  Madeira,  and  west  Siberia. 

Flanorbis  crista,  ly. 

—  II.     —    —     V.     —    —    VIII.     IX.     —    —    — 

PL  imbricatns,  the  name  adopted  by  Thompson  (15),  and  also  PL  natitileus 
are  more  recent  designations  for  the  same  species.  It  is  the  smallest 
Irish  species  of  Planorbis. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
south  Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  France,  Italy, 
Sicily,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  and  Morocco. 

Planorbis  fontanus,  Lightf. 
I.     —     III.     —    V.     VI.     VII.     —     IX.     —     XI.     XII. 

What  was  looked  upon  as  PL  nitidtis  by  Jeffreys,  Thompson,  and  others, 
is  this  species.     The  real  PL  nitidtis  of  Miiller  is  the  next. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  south 
Russia,  Caucasus,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  France, 
Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Tibet,  and  Siberia. 

(Flanorbis  nitidus,  Miiller.) 

Thompson  (15)  records  this  species  as  Irish  on  the  authority  of 
Humphreys,  who  is  said  to  have  found  it  in  Tipperarj^  but  as  no  other 
Irish  collector  has  found  a  specimen  since,  and  the  original  does  not  seem 
to  be  in  existence  now,  I  think  I  am  justified  in  excluding  it  from  the 
Irish  list. 

Genus— ANCYLUS. 

Ancylus  fliiviatilis,  Miiller. 

I.     II.     —    IV.    V.     VI.     VII.     —    IX.     X.     XI     XII. 

This  is  an  extremely  common  species,  and  occurs  in  small  streams  close 
to  the  sea-shore  as  well  as  high  up  on  mountains. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Transylvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily,  P'rance,  Spain, 
Portugal,  Algiers,  Madeira,  and  Canaries. 

Ancylus  lacustris,  L- 

—  —    —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     _    —     X     —     XII. 

Although  we  have  only  few  records  of  this  species  from  Irish  localities 
it  will  probably  be  found  to  be  more  generall}'  distributed. 

Foreign  Distribution,— Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  south 
Russia,  Caucasus,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  France, 
and  Italy. 

(TO  BE  CONCI^UDED.)  B 


[  154  ] 

THE  ICELAND  AND  GLAUCOUS  GULLS  {LARUS 
LEUCOPTERUS,  Fabkr:  &  L.  GEAUCUS,  O.  Fab.) 
IN  IRELAND. 

BY   ROBERT  WARRKN. 


{Concluded  from  page   133.) 


I  NOW  give  my  notes  of  the  occurrence  of  the  GlaucoUvS  Gull. 
The  first  occasion  when  I  met  this  fine  northern  Gull  was 
during  a  heav}^  fall  of  snow,  on  the  14th  December,  1859, 
when  as  I  was  walking  along  the  shore  here  at  Moj^view 
looking  out  for  a  shot  at  Wigeon,  a  vSplendid  bird  flew  close 
past  me,  and  although  I  fired  and  severely  wounded  it,  it 
unfortunatel}^  escaped,  and  I  thus  lost  my  first  chance  of 
securing  such  a  prize. 

This  bird  when  passing  appeared  quite  as  large  as  the 
Great  Black-backed  Gull,  and  its  heavier  flight  easily  dis- 
tinguished it  from  the  Icelander.  In  March,  1871,  on  two 
occasions,  I  saw  an  adult  bird  flj^ing  about  the  sands  of  the 
estuar>%  and  although  I  got  a  long  shot  I  did  not  secure  it. 
This  individual  showed  very  white  when  seen  through  a 
glass,  the  grey  mantle  being  verj^  pale  in  colour,  almost  pure 
white,  a  peculiar  stage  of  plumage  sometimes  seen  in  this 
gull  just  before  it  assumes  the  perfect  one  of  maturity. 

Several   times  during  Januarj^,    1873,   I   observed   another 

adult  bird  haunting  the  shores  and  sands,  and  at  length  on 

the  23rd  of  same  month  I   succeeded   in   shooting   it,  near 

Ball3^sokeer3',  on  the  Co.  Mayo  side  of  the  estuary.      I  was 

returning  in  m}"  shooting  punt,  having  been  after  the  Wigeon 

all  day,  when  I  remarked  this  bird  fl3dng  past  and  joining 

some  3^oung  Black-backed  Gulls  resting  on  the  water;  these 

latter  on  the  approach  of  the  punt  as  usual  made  off,  leaving 

the  'Glaucous  still  on  the  water,  but  when  I  got  within  shot 

ni}'  small  gun  missed  fire,  and  then  bringing  round  the  head 

of  the  punt,   so  as  to  get  the  big  gun  to  bear,  I  fired  and 

knocked  over  one  of  the   finest   specimens  of  the  Glaucous 

Gull  that  I  ever  saw ;  it  was  in  perfect  adult  plumage,  showing 

a  little  of  the  winter  duskj^  colour  on  the  back  of  head  and 

neck.      Its   measurements  were  :    total  length  from  point  of 

bill  to  end  of  tail,    262-  inches;    carpus,    18   inches;    tarsus, 

3  inches  ;    bill  from  point  to  rictus,  3f  inches  ;  to  forehead, 

2\  inches;  and  depth  i  inch.     Some  time  during  the  winter  of 

1874  or  1875  (I  am  not  certain  which,  for  I  did  not  note  the 

occurrence),    I   shot   an  immature   bird    near   the   island   of 

Bartragh.     On  the  24th  of  Februar}^  1877,  I  observ^ed  a  fine 

adult  bird  flying  along  the  shore  here,   and  on  the  20th  of 

March,  as  I  was  down  the  Mojme  Channel  in   my  shooting 

punt,  and  when  just  opposite  the  Abbey  a  beautiful  Glaucous 

Gull  (probably  the  same  seen  in  February)  flew  close  past  my 


The  Icelmid  and  Glaucous  Gtcll  i?i  Ireland.  155 

boat,  and  being  unable  to  resist  the  wish  to  obtain  it  I 
brought  it  down  by  a  shot  from  my  cripple-stopper.  This 
was  a  lovely  specimen  in  adult  plumage,  and  the  onl}^  trace 
of  immaturity  about  it  was  a  small  darkish  spot  on  the  end  of 
the  bill.  The  irides  of  the  eyes  were  exactly  of  the  same  yellow 
colour  as  those  of  a  pair  of  adult  Herring  Gulls  shot  the  same 
day.  My  next  meeting  with  this  gull  was  on  the  17th  of 
January,  1878,  when  returning  from  Wigeon  shooting  at 
Bartragh,  I  obsen^ed  a  j^oung  Black-backed  Gull  on  the 
rocks  near  Scurmore  feeding  on  some  garbage  left  by  the  tide, 
and  just  then  a  young  Glaucous  flying  past,  observing  it 
feeding,  wheeled  round  to  join  in  the  feast,  but  was  at  once 
driven  off  by  the  Black-back,  and  failing  after  several  attempts 
to  obtain  some  of  the  food,  flew  off  along  the  shore  about 
a  hundred  yards  or  so  to  where  a  dead  dog  was  lying.  It 
began  feeding  on  the  carcase  so  greedily  that  it  took  no  notice 
of  my  punt  until  I  had  come  close  within  shot,  and  then  as 
it  made  off,  I  knocked  it  over.  It  proved  to  be  a  very  fine 
specimen  in  the  first  year's  plumage,  and  although  quite  as 
large  and  as  powerful  in  appearance  as  the  Blacl^-back,  was 
too  cowardly  to  fight  for  its  share  of  the  food. 

The  last  time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  Glaucous  Gull 
was  in  Februarj^  1880,  when  I  remarked  one  flying  near  the 
landing-place  on  the  shore  here,  having  been  attracted  b}^  the 
carcase  of  a  bullock  left  by  the  tide ;  here  it  remained  for  some 
days  in  company  with  Black-backs,  feeding  on  the  carcase, 
and  although  I  made  several  attempts  to  shoot  it,  its  excessive 
watchfulness  quite  baffled  me  until  the  27th,  when  I  at  last 
succeeded  in  bringing  it  down  as  it  flew  off  from  the  carcase. 
This  is  the  handsomest  adult  specimen  of.  the  Glaucous  Gull 
I  have  ever  seen,  snowy  white,  with  the  exception  of  the  pale 
grey  mantle  and  light  yellow  bill  and  irides,  offering  such  a 
pleasing  contrast  of  colour  to  the  pure  white  of  the  head  and 
neck.  It  is  also  one  of  the  largest  birds  I  have  examined, 
measuring  nearly  29  inches  in  length,  the  carpus  quite  18 
inches,  while  the  tips  of  the  closed  wings  barely  reached  to  the 
end  of  the  tail  feathers.     It  weighed  three  and  a-half  pounds. 

The  habits  of  the  Glaucous  and  Iceland  Gulls  described  by 
Faber,  as  obser\'ed  by  him  in  Iceland  (quoted  in  Yarrell's  3rd 
vol.),  coincide  very  much  with  what  I  have  seen  of  these  gulls, 
the  Glaucous  being  exactl}^  a  Great  Black-backed  Gull  in  every- 
thing except  colour;  its  habits  and  disposition  are  the  Same, 
feeding  on  young  or  wounded  birds,  and  on  any  carcases  left  on 
the  shore.  The  Iceland  Gull's  habits,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
those  of  the  Herring  and  Common  Gulls  with  which  it  asso- 
ciates, often  resting  and  feeding  in  fields,  and  following  the 
plough  for  worms  turned  up  ;  I  never  saw  an  Iceland  Gull 
feeding  on  carrion,  nor  approaching  a  carcase,  although  such 
were  on  the  shore  during  the  visits  of  this  gull  to  the  estuary. 

B* 


-  156  - 
THE  CHARACTERISTIC  PI.ANTS  OF  CO.  WEXFORD. 

BY  G.  K.  H.  BARR^TT-HAMII^TON  AND  C.  B.  MOFFAT. 


In  the  following  paper  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  present  a 
list  of  the  more  interesting  of  the  indigenous  or  full}^  estab- 
lished species  comprised  in  the  Flora  of  the  Co.  Wexford. 
Since  the  publication  of  the  "  Cybele  Hibernica,"  and  its 
Supplement,  the  principal  additions  made  to  this  subject  are 
two  papers  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart/  dealing  with  the  flora  of  the 
Wexford  coast,  and  with  that  of  the  banks  of  the  Slaney. 
Miss  L.  S.  Glascott,  of  Alderton,  and  the  writers  of  this  paper 
have  also  contributed  some  local  lists  to  \he  Journal  of  Bo ta7iy, 
relating  principally  to  that  part  of  the  county  which  lies 
between  'the  rivers  Slaney  and  Barrow;  while  a  few  species 
are  recorded  for  the  first  time  in  the  present  paper.  The  total 
number  of  plants  ascertained  to  occur  in  the  county  is  630, 
but  it  is  probable  that  many  additions  remain  to  be  made,  par- 
ticularl}^  in  the  north-eastern  section. 

The  Count}^  Wexford,  forming  as  it  does  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  Watson's  Atlantic  tj^pe  in  Ireland,  is  somewhat 
richer  than  might  have  been  expected  in  species  generally 
referred  to  that  group ;  of  the  forty-three  Irish  representatives, 
twentj^-three  occur  here,  while  the  inclination  to  Atlantic  ap- 
pears in  at  least  two  others  of  our  characteristic  plants.  On 
the  other  hand,  out  of  the  seventeen  Germanic  plants  known 
to  occur  in  Ireland,  we  have  but  one,==  for  there  appears  but 
little  hope  of  verification  for  the  old  record  of  LytJu^um  hys- 
sopifolmm  contained  in  Mackay's  "Flora  Hibernica."  Of 
Watson's  Highland  type,  it  is  remarkable  that  not  one  species 
has  been  discovered,  three  species  ''inclining  to  Highland" 
constituting  our  nearest  approach  to  a  sub-alpine  flora,  in  a 
mountain-range  whose  highest  elevation  exceeds  2,600  feet. 
Six  (or  one  in  eleven  of  the  Irish)  species  represent  the 
Scottish  and  Intermediate  t3'pes,  while  three  other  species 
inclining  to  the  Scottish,  and  four  to  the  Germanic  type, 
complete  our  list  of  plants  interesting  by  reason  of  their 
limited  geographical  range  in  Great  Britain.  A  desire  to 
reduce  the  compass  of  the  paper  has  led  to  the  exclusion  of 
many  uncommon  species  found  within  the  county,  but  in 
our  view  hardlj^  entitled  to  rank  as  characteristic.  Vagrant 
colonists  on  cultivation,  or  casual  occupants  of  patches  of 
w^aste   ground,   with   others   which,    though   somewhat   rare, 


^  H.  C.  Hart :  "A  Botanical  Ramble  along  the  Slaney  and  up  the  East 
Coast  of  Wexford."— 7^«r.  of  Botany,  Nov.  1881 ;  "  Report  on  the  Flora  of 
the  Wexford  and  Waterford  Coasts." — Proc.  R.  D.  S.,  vol.  iv.  (n.  s.),  part  3, 
October,  1883. 

^  Orchis  pyramidalis,  whose  type  is  held  to  be  doubtful  by  some  high 
authorities. 


The  Characteristic  Plants  of  Co.  Wexford.  157 

might  be  expected  to  occur  here  and  there  in  most  parts  of 
Ireland,   are,  as  a  rule,  omitted. 

The   signs   f  %   and  ^'  are  used  below,  as   in  the  ''Cj'bele 
Hibernica." 

Thalictrum  minus,  Linn.,  var.  maritimum.     Sandhills    of  east  coast. 

Arklow  to  Cahore  Point  (Hart). 
Ranunculus  peltatus,  Fries. — Abundant  in  streams  in  north  Wexford 

(C.  B.  M). 
R.   coenosus,  Guss. — Frequent. 
R.  lingua,  ly. — Alderton  (Miss  Glascott). 
Matthiola  sinuata,  R.  Br. — Ballyconigar,  and  near  Gorey  (Cyb.  Ilib.), 

Tinnyberna,  and  below  Kilmuckridge  (Hart). 
Cochlearia  danica,  Linn. — Locally  plentiful  on  south  coast. 
C.  anglica,  Linn. — No  doubt  the  C^r/^/e^r/rt;  of  the  estuaries  of  both  Slaney 

and  Suir;  grows  plentifully  in  many  localities  from  Rosslare  to 

Macmine  junction  on  the  Slaney,  and  extends  up  the  Barrow  from 

Kilmanock  to  New  Ross. 
Lepidium  smithii,  Hook. — Frequent  throughout  the  country. 
tSenebiera  didyma,  Pers. — New  ^os,s(Cyb.  Nib.),  Churchtown,  Baginbun, 

and  Duncannon(Hart);  Fishertown  (G.K.H.B.-H.). 
Raplianus  maritimus,  Sm. — Ballyconigar  {Cyb.  Hib.),  coast  below  Lady's 

Island,  etc.  (Hart). 
Viola  liirta,  Linn. — Below  Clohamon,  by  the  Slane}^  (Hart). 
V.  canina,  Linn.  (Fries). — Plentiful  at  both  Crossfarnogue  Point  (Hart) 

and  Rosslare  (G.B.H.B.-H.). 
V.  curtisii,  Forst. — Common  on  sandhills  of  the  coast. 
Polygala  depressa,  Wend. — Frequent  in  heathy  places  about  Alderton 

(Miss  Glascott). 
Malva  moschata,  Linn. — Frequent  throughout  the  county. 
Hypericum  androssemum,  Linn. — Frequent. 
K.  dubium,  Leers. — Frequent  in  north  Wexford,  H.  perforatum,  Linn.,  is 

less  so. 
H.  elodes,  Linn. — Frequent  in  bogs  towards  the  mountains,  extending  to 

the  coast,  and  reaching  the  Saltee  Islands  (Hart). 
Geranium  columbinum.  Linn. — Many  localities  throughout  the  county. 
Erodium  moscliatum,  Sm. — Several  localities  on  both  east  and  south 

coast. 
E.  maritimum,  Sm.— Frequent  all  round  the  coast,  reaching  a  maximum 

in  this  county,  and  extending  to  both  the  Saltee  Islands  (Hart) ; 

also  the  Large  Keeragh  Island  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.). 
*Linum  angustifolium,  (Huds).— Many  stations  throughout  the  county. 
Ulex  gallii,  Planch.— Abundant  on  coast  (Hart);  the  prevailing  furze  of 

the  mountains,  and  on  high  and  wild  ground  in  many  parts  of  the 

county. 

Trifolium  frag-iferum,  Linn.— Several  stations  near  western  extremity 

of  south  coast. 
Lotus  corniculatus,  Linn.,  var.  tenuis.— Alderton  (Miss  Glascott). 
Ornithopus  perpusillus,  Linn.— Ballyconigar  [vide  Cyb.  Hib.);  this  and 

Howth  are  the  only  Irish  localities. 
Rosa  tomentosa,  vSm.— Common  throughout  the  north-west  or  mountain 

district. 
Lepigonum   rubrum,  Fries.— At  Ballyconigar,  and  inland  on  Vinegar 

Hill  {Cyb.  Hib.).     In  the  latter  site,  at  least,  this  little  annual  con- 

tmues  to  flourish  (C.  B.  M.). 
Cotyledon  umbilicus,  Linn.— Rather  common. 
Crithmum  maritimum,  Linn.— Frequent  on  the  coast.     Reaches  both 

Saltees  (Hart)  and  the  Hook  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.K 
jPastmaca  sativa,  Linn.— Plentiful  in  many  spots  round  the  coast,  and 

considered  by  Mr.  Hart  to  have  the  appearance  of  a  native  on  the 

Rosslare  Sandhills. 


158  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Anthriscus  vulgaris,  Pers. — Ivady's  Island  Lake  (Hart),  Rosslare,  and 

some  intermediate  localities  to  Arthurstown  (G.  B.  H.  B.-H). 
Rnbia  peregrina,  Linn. — Fethard  (Hart),  Arthurstown  (Miss  Glascott), 

Nook,  and  Duncannon  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.). 
Dipsacus  sylvestris,  Linn. — Frequent  in  many  localities,  chiefly  near 

south  coast. 
Inula  crithmoides,  Ivinn. — Greater  Saltee  Island,  and  plentifully  at  the 

extreme  point  of  Hook  Head  (Hart). 
JI.  helenium,  Linn. — At  Ballyconigar  {Cyb.  Bib.). 
Anthemis  nobilis,  Linn. — Of  frequent  occurrence,  apparently  throughout 

the  count3\ 
Diotis    maritima,    Cass. — At  Carnsore    Point  [Cyb.    Hib.)\   coast  below 

Lady's  Island  Lake  (Hart). 
Filag'o   minima,   P'r. — Very  plentiful  at   Rosslare   (Hart);    has  several 

stations  elsewhere. 
Carlina  vulgaris,  Linn. — Localities  occur  round  the  whole  coast. 
Carduus  pratensis,  Huds. — Has  several  isolated  localities  along  feeders 

of  the  River  Boro. 
Thrincia  hirta,  DC. — Common,  both  inland  and  on  the  coast.     {Apargia) 

hispida  is  rare,  and  in  some  of  its  stations  certainly  not  indigenous. 

(TO  BE  CONCIvUDED). 


THE  WKEVII.S  OF  SOUTH  I,OUTH. 

BY   H.    K.    GORI^   CUTHBKR'T. 


In  the  month  of  August  last  year,  having  to  spend,  part  of  my 
summer  holidays  in  south  Co.  Louth,  I  took  the  opportunity 
to  collect  and  study  some  of  the  weevils  occurring  there. 
The  time  of  the  year  (one  of  the  worst  for  beetles),  and  the 
time  at  my  command,  made  it  impossible  to  compile  anything 
like  a  complete  list  of  the  weevils  likely  to  be  found  in  that 
district.  The  exceedingly  cold  and  wet  weather  was  a  further 
drawback,  very  unpleasant  certainly,  but  not  to  be  appealed 
against.  My  researches  in  lyouth  therefore,  cannot  add  much 
to  the  general  stock  of  knowledge  of  these  insects,  but  the 
highly  interesting  nature  of  this  section  of  the  Coleoptera 
makes  me  desirous  to  investigate  it  as  fully  as  possible.  Un- 
fortunately, coleopterists  in  Ireland  are  very  few,  and  a  gene- 
ral comparison  of  local  lists,  at  least  at  present,  is  out  of  the 
question.  This  is  especially  to  be  regretted  in  the  case  of 
the  rh3'nchophorous  genera,  comparatively  few  species  of 
which  can  be  considered  generally  distributed,  whilst  very 
many  are  locally  common.  The  stud}^  of  the  distribution  and 
habits  of  weevils  is  a  matter  of  real  importance  from  the  very 
destructive  ravages  of  certain  species.  The  worst  of  all,  per- 
haps, are  the  members  of  the  genus  Calandra,  which  attack 
stored  grain,  and  seem  to  be  found  in  all  climates  and 
countries.  Others,  particularly  the  commoner  species  oi  Apio7i, 
Sito7ies,  Otiorrhynchus,  Hypera,  and  the  different  Scolytidcs, 
attack,  and   at   times   are   exceedingly  injurious   to,   various 


The  Weevils  of  Soiitk  Loiitk.  159 

crops  and  trees.  The  Scoly tides,  however,  like  other  wood- 
boring  beetles,  are  rather  scarce  in  Ireland,  a  thinly-wooded 
country. 

The  portion  of  County  lyouth  where  I  collected  has  little 
diversity  of  surface,  such  hills  as  there  are  being  of  trifling 
elevation.  Between  the  Boyne  estuary  and  Clogher  Head, 
for  about  four  miles,  there  is  a  velvet  strand,  bounded  by  a 
broad  strip  of  sand-hills  and  rabbit  warrens.  This  coast  line 
is  only  broken  by  one  stream,  the  Newtown  brook,  abound- 
ing in  some  parts  with  trout,  but  much  obstructed  by  sedge. 
There  is  not  much  plantation,  except  in  detached  portions, 
beech,  poplar,  ash,  and  fir  being  the  principal  trees.  The 
general  absence  of  hills  renders  the  landscape,  on  the  whole, 
tame  and  unpicturesque ;  but  from  Clogher  Head  or  its  neigh- 
bourhood, on  a  clear  day,  one  may  catch  some  fine  views  of 
the  Carlingford  and  Mourne  Mountains  on  the  north,  and 
occasionally  of  the  Dublin  and  Wicklow  Hills  to  the  south. 
But  a  collecting  entomologist  has  little  concern  with  purely 
aesthetic  feelings,  however  much  they  may  appeal  to  him  at 
other  times.  The  best  ground  for  entomological  work  in  this 
region  I  found  to  be  the  sandy  warrens  already  mentioned, 
and  the  wooded  headlands  adjoining.  The  great  profusion  ojf 
insects  here,  considering  the  wet  season,  was  somewhat  re- 
markable. lyCpidoptera,  of  course,  were  well  represented,  and 
a  collector  of  that  order  might  have  reaped  a  rich  harvest,  but 
Coleoptera  were  equally  abundant,  particularly  the  geodepha- 
gous  and  phytophagous  groups.  In  that  I  am  dealing  with, 
more  than  half  of  my  captures  from  this  county  were  taken  on 
these  sandy  wastes,  and  I  do  not  doubt  many  additional  species 
would  have  been  met  with  in  the  earlier  summer  months.  By 
beating  beeches  and  alders  in  Newtown  and  Blackball  woods, 
I  obtained  a  fair  number  of  Otiorrhynchus  maicr^us,  generally 
accounted  a  local  and  northern  species.  The  ground  colour 
of  every  specimen  of  this  beetle  I  have  seen  is  not  ''black," 
as  given  by  Canon  Fowler,  but  very  dark  brown.  O.  atro- 
apterus  was  fairly  common  near  the  sea,  crawling  over  sandy 
patches.  Here,  too,  I  came  upon  three  examples  of  Stropho- 
soinus  retusus  at  roots  of  Anthyllis,  and  a  single  Trachyphl(^iis 
scabricidus.  In  the  fox-cover  at  Newlown  I  took  a  couple  of 
Otiorrhyncluis  scabrosus  and  of  O.^rugifrons,  the  former  in  moss, 
and  the  latter  under  stones,  near  the  margin  of  a  small  pool. 
I  got  a  small  series  of  O.  ligneus  in  the  plantations  at  Black- 
hall.  The  common  O.  picipes  and  O.  stdcatus  were  often  met 
with,  the  first  on  the  trees  and  bushes  everywhere,  and  the 
second  in  moss  under  hedgerows.  The  season  was  rather  late 
for  the  Phyllobiina,  and  only  a  few  worn  specimens  of  P. 
viridiceris  occurred.  About  the  middle  of  the  month  a  day's 
sweeping  of  the  brambles,  furze,  and  grasses  of  Castlecoo 
gave  me  a  fairly  good  variety,  though  not  a  great  number  of 
specimens.     This  hill  (346  feet),  is  one  of  the  few  elevations 


i6o  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

in  South  I^outh.  The  others  are  TuUyesker  (6i6  feet),  about 
six  miles  from  the  coast,  and  Clogher  Head  (209  feet),  the  ex- 
treme eastern  point.  On  the  north-west  side  of  Castlecoo 
there  is  a  wide  stretch  of  barren  boggy  moor — drear}^  to  the 
eye,  and  unproductive  in  two  senses — agriculturally  and  en- 
tomologically.  I  could  get  almost  no  beetles  here  except 
Anchovieni,  and  they  were  abundant  enough.  I  took  some 
good  weevils  on  Castlecoo,  notably  a  fine  Rynchites  ccneovirens^ 
swept  from  bramble,  a  couple  oi  Brachysonms  echinatus,  several 
Liosomus  ovatulus  from  Ramtnculacece,  a  series  of  Strophoso- 
tmis  coryli,  two  or  three  Sciaphihis  muricattcs,  and  several  ^5^;^^- 
peithes  bfunriipes.  R.  ceneovi7'ens  I  had  previously  taken  (a 
single  insect  only),  in  County  Dublin.  The  latter  example  is 
smaller  than  that  from  I^outh,  and  has  a  very  distinctly  bluish 
tint.  Possibly  it  should  be  referred  to  the  v2iX\Q\.y  fragaricB. 
Nine  species  of  Apio7i  occurred.  All  these,  with  one  ex- 
ception, I  had  taken  in  -Co.  Dublin.  The  exception  is  A. 
nmiiatuni,  which  abounds  on  plantains  in  the  sandy  com- 
mons. This  is  a  difficult  genus  to  work  out  correctly,  and  I 
am  not  sure  that  I  have  properly  named  all  my  speci- 
mens. Sweeping  Gejiista  tinctoria,  Eivditwt  cicutarium, 
etc.,  and  shaking  rubbish  near  the  shore  yielded  me  several 
Sitones—S.  griseus,  S.  crinitus,  S.  tibialis^  S.  hispidultis, 
and  kS.  piLncticollis.  S.  hispidulus  sems  less  maritime  in  its 
habitat  than  the  others,  occurring  most  abundantly  at  roots  of 
grass  in  inland  pastures.  kS.  lineatus  was,  as  usual,  ever3^where. 
Barynotus  obscuriis  and  B.  viccrens  I  took  rather  commonly  in 
cultivated  ground ;  the  latter,  though  usually  reckoned  the 
rarer  British  species,  being  much  commoner  than  the  former. 
It  seems  to  have  a  fancy  for  mangel-wurzel,  the  beetle  being 
often  turned  up  under  sods  in  mangold  and  turnip  fields. 
Hypera  punctata,  another  insect  usually  found  at  roots  of  tre- 
foil and  wild  strawberry,  seems  to  have  a  liking  for  the  turnip. 
I  found  two  of  its  larvae  on  the  under  side  of  a  turnip  leaf 
in  a  plant  that  was  running  to  seed.  Several  other  members 
of  this  genus  occurred,  notably  H.  7umicis,  H.  trilineata^ 
H.  vaidabilis,  H.  imtjina,  H.  polygoni,  and  inevitably  H.  nigri- 
ivstris.  H.  inurina  I  have  named  on  a  single  specimen  only,  and 
I  am  inclined  to  consider  ni}^  insect  (and  the  specific  tj^pe  gene- 
rally), merely  an  extreme  variety  oiH.  variabilis.  The  distinc- 
tion between  these  species  seems,  at  most,  to  be  one  of  size  only. 
Mecinus  pyraster,  a  beetle  fairly  common  in  Co.  Dublin,  I  took 
abundantly  on  TuUyesker;  and  Tychiiis picirostris  {inico tragus, 
Schon.)  once  near  the  shore,  together  with  a  single  specimen 
of  Cneorrlmius geviinatus .  This  latter  (a  male)  is  much  smaller 
than  my  Wicklow  specimens  of  the  same  sex,  is  much  lighter 
in  colour,  and  has  a  ver^^  feeble  thoracic  puncturation.  I  hope 
to  explore  the  locality  again  for  further  examples ;  it  would  be 
interesting  to  find  whether  these  differences  are  not  really 
accidental.     Orchestes  fagi  was  the  only  member  of  its  genus  I 


The  Weevils  of  South  Louth.  i6i 

met  with.  Sweeping,  shaking  rubbish  and  moss,  and  beating 
bushes  at  Cartown,  gave  me  a  couple  of  Grypidius  equiseti  and 
several  Ceuthorrhynchidhis  troglodytes  and  C.  quercicola,  Ccsliodes 
ruber  and  C.  quadrimaculattcs,  also  Rhhionctis  castor  and  R. 
perpe7idicularis.  Ceuthorrhynchus  assimilis,  C.  erysimi,  and  var. 
chloropterus,  C.  contractus,  and  severdl  other  Cezithorrhy7ichi  were 
captured  on  the  rabbit  burrow  and  commons  near  Clogher. 
The  distribution  of  this  genus  seems  curiously  local  in  the 
district,  for  I  came  across  none  outside  the  narrow  stretch 
mentioned.  Very  probabl}^  this  was  merely  an  accidental  cir- 
cumstance, but  the  same  remark  applies  to  Mesites  tardyi,  a 
peculiarly  isolated  and  interesting  insect.  I  found  it  in  great 
numbers  under  bark  of  beech,  willow,  and  poplar,  on  the  bank 
of  the  stream  near  the  village  of  Termonfeckin.  This  was  the 
only  spot  where  it  turned  up,  though  I  explored  various  plan- 
tations within  a  radius  of  several  miles.  Another  notable 
peculiarity  of  this  beetle  is  its  great  variability  in  size,  some  of 
my  specimens  not  much  exceeding  the  dimensions  of  a  large 
Cala7idra  granaria,  whilst  others  are  more  than  half  an  inch 
long.  The  elytra,  too,  in  most  cases  are  chestnut  brown,  but 
sometimes  are  quite  black,  and  sometimes  black  with  lighter 
margins.  The  Scolytidae,  in  spite  of  many  researches,  only 
yielded  a  single  species,  Hylastes  opacus,  under  the  bark  of  a 
decayed  willow.  This  is  another  insect  variable  in  colour, 
showing  all  shades  of  tint,  from  light  red  to  deep  black. 

My  list  of  weevils  from  south  lyouth  includes  altogether 
sixty-four  species,  in  twenty-three  genera.  It  is  necessarily 
very  incomplete  for  the  reasons  given  above,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  could  be  easily  doubled.  The  collecting  of  these  beetles 
presents  no  special  difficulties.  Some  of  the  rare  and  less 
evident  kinds  are  rather  hard  to  hit  upon,  such  as  those  ordi- 
narily found  at  roots  of  grasses  and  low  plants.  Vigorous 
sweeping  will  usually  secure  most  of  the  others,  but  the  Ceu- 
thorrhynchi  and  allied  genera  at  the  least  alarm,  gather  their 
legs  and  rostrum  underneath  the  bod}^  and  drop  off  their  food 
plants,  when  it  is  very  hard  to  trace  them.  Promptness  in 
using  the  sweeping-net,  so  a»  not  to  give  the  beetles  time  to 
escape,  is  all  that  is  required.  Erir^hinus,  Grypidius,  and  some 
others,  I  have  commonly  found  under  stones  in  damp  places, 
but  the  habitat  of  a  particular  species  once  known,  if  the  insect 
exist  in  the  district  at  all  and  the  season  be  not  too  far  ad- 
vanced, a  practised  entomologist  can  hardly  fail  to  discover  it. 

NOTICE. 

A  series  of  papers  on  "The  Earthworms  of  Ireland,"  will  be 
commenced  in  the  January  number  of  the  Irish  Natzu^alist,  by 
Rev.  Hilderic  Friend,  F.L.S.,  of  Idle,  Bradford,  Yorkshire. 

Mr.  Friend  will  be  grateful  for  worms  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  They  should  be  sent  alive  in  damp  earth  or  moss,  in 
metal  boxes.  Packages  should  be  marked  "Natural  History 
Specimens." 


—  l62  — 

QUARTZYTKS    AND    QUARTZ-ROCKS. 

BY   G.    H.    KINAHAN,    M.R.I. A. 


Part  I. — Quartz-Rock. 

There  are  quartz-rocks,  quartzytes  and  quartzytes  ;  this 
obscure  statement  being  due  to  the  present  entanglement  in 
the  use  of  the  terms.  The  knowledge  recently  acquired  by 
the  researches  of  the  American  geologists,  both  of  the  States 
and  the  Dominion,  demonstrates  our  ignorance  of  quartz3^tes, 
and  the  importance  of  their  being  properly  classified.  But 
before  entering  into  this  subject,  quartz-rock  only  will  be 
treated  of  in  the  first  part  of  the  paper,  especially  the  Irish 
quartz -rocks. 

There  are  now  tw^o  geologists^  who  would  annihilate  quartz- 
rock  from  the  list  of  Irish  rocks ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that 
they  have  published  their  views  most  unadvisably,  as  they  ac- 
knowledge that  their  whole  experience  in  the  Irish  quartz-rocks 
is  derived  from  the  small  Dublin  areas,  while  elsewhere  they 
could  get  convincing  proof  against  their  assertions. 

I  first  examined  quartzyte  and  quartz-rock  in  Howth,  Co. 
Dublin;  and  quartz-rock  in  Bray  Head  about  the  year  1846; 
but  it  was  not  till  the  yesLV  1870  that  I  wrote  my  first  paper  on 
them,  after  I  had  studied  them  in  Wexford,  Clare,  the  west  of 
Ireland,  etc.  In  the  doctrines  put  forward  by  these  more  recent 
obser\^ers,  I  do  not  see  an}^  facts  that  invalidate  my  original 
proposition.  I  find  that  Prof.  Blake,  independentl}^  came  to 
very  similar  conclusions  to  mine  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  the 
majority  of  the  quartz-rock  cakes  and  intrudes. 

Microscopists  must  not  run  away  on  theories  in  contra- 
distinction to  facts.  If  the  dykes  and  cakes  are  due  to  springs, 
the  rock  may  be  more  or  less  fragmentary,  let  it  be  the  adjunct 
of  a  silicious,  calcareous,  or  ferriferous  spring.  This  can  be 
ocularly  proved  by  observing  the  action  of  a  spring.  Usually 
the  welling  up  is  more  or  less  ^gentle  and  regular,  and  under 
such  circumstances  the  depositions  are  nearly  homogeneous ; 
but  at  times  the  welling  up  is  most  violent,  and  according  to 
the  ratio  of  its  force,  it  breaks  off  greater  or  less  sized  fragments 
of  the  already  deposited  accumulation.  These,  as  can  be  ocu- 
larly proved,  are  whirled  round  and  round  in  the  vortex  of  the 
vent,  thus  being  more  or  less  rounded  prior  to  being  ejected 
from  the  spring  to  add  to  the  accumulation.  In  such  accumu- 
lations, let  them  be  silicious,  calcareous,  or  ferriferous,  the 
inlying  particles  are  of  composition  identical  with  that  of  their 

^  W.  J.  Sollas,  "  On  the  Structure  and  Origin  of  Quartzite  Rock  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  DubUn,"  Set.  Proc.  R.D.S.,  n.  s.,  vol.  vii.,  pp.  169-188; 
G.  A.  J.  Cole,  "  County  Dublin  Past  and  Present,"  Irish  Nat.,  vol.  i., 
pp.  10-12. 


Quartzytes  a7id  Quartz- Rocks.  163 

matrix;  but  necessarily  in  consequence  of  their  origin  and 
mode  of  deposition,  their  structural  lines  will  not  coincide  with 
those  of  their  matrix.  Therefore,  any  microscopist  who  may 
form  a  theory  solely  on  their  appearance  is  altogether  at  sea. 
As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  such  inliers  in  quartz-rock 
are  so  similar  to  the  matrix,  that  in  the  majority  of  cases  ordi- 
nary field  workers  would  not  detect  them,  the  inliers  being 
quartz-rock,  and  the  matrix  quartz-rock.  I  know,  however, 
exceptions  where  the  inliers  are  much  more  felsitic,  or  ferri- 
ferous, or  calcareous  than  the  matrix ;  or  the  inlier  may  be  a 
perfectly  different  class  of  quartz-rock  to  the  matrix,  thus 
giving  to  the  rock  a  fine  conglomeritic  appearance.  This  I 
especially  noted  in  a  mass  of  quartz-rock  in  the  Co.  Donegal, 
to  the  west  of  Mulroy  Bay. 

Such  fragments,  I  would  suspect,  came  up  from  below,  as 
fragments  will  come  up  in  springs  when  in  violent  action. 
Thus  a  strong  spring  in  a  limestone  tract  may,  when  w^orking 
violently,  bring  up  from  a  deep  source  silicious  sand. 

These  fragmentary  quartz-rocks,  if  only  examined  micro- 
scopically, may  be  pronounced  to  be  clear  proofs  of  the  origi- 
nal sedimentary  origin  of  the  rock;  but  if  the  mass  of  the  rock 
is  examined  one  has  to  come  to  a  different  conclusion. 

Fragmentary  portions  of  undoubted  intrusive  rocks  are  not 
uncommon,  as  has  been  pointed  out  over  and  over  again  in 
previous  writings,  and  such  rocks  are  much  more  complicated 
than  the  brecciated  quartz-rocks,  as  such  intrudes  usually  con- 
tain distinctly  foreign  inliers,  while  the  quartz-rock  rarely 
does;  although  in  places,  as  at  the  Eagle's  Rock  Hackets- 
town,  Co.  Carlow,  the  intrudes  of  quartz-rock  contain  inliers 
of  granyte.  As  to  "undoubted  bedded  lines"  in  the  quartz- 
rock  of  the  Sugar  lyoaves,  Co.  Wicklow,  I  do  not  believe  that 
such  is  their  origin.  The  lines  do  exist,  but  they  are  not  due 
to  original  bedding,  as  will  be  proved  if  we  go  further  afield. 

Similar  lines,  very  generally,  are  ordinary  characteristics  of 
quartz-rock.  Numerous  places  could  be  mentioned  all  over 
Ireland,  but  the  following  need  only  be  specially  referred  to. 
The  intrude  of  quartz-rocks  (** white  rocks,")  in  the  granyte  a 
little  north  of  Tinnahely,  Co.  Wicklow,  has  in  it  similar  lines ; 
as  also  the  intrude,  a  little  further  north,  called  the  Eagle's 
Rock,  Hacketstown,  Co.  Carlow ;  similar  lines  also  occur 
to  the  south- w^est  of  the  Co.  Wexford,  in  the  dykes  that  extend 
from  the  Oldhamian  into  the  Ordovician.  In  the  museum 
of  Trinity  College  there  ought  to  be  a  specimen  of  a  similarly 
lined  quartz-rock  that  was  procured  from  an  intrude  at  the 
hill  summit  to  the  south-west  of  Oughterard,  Co.  Galway. 
Examples  could  be  multiplied  so  as  to  fill  the  whole  of  this 
number  of  the  Magazine.  It  is,  therefore,  only  necessary  to 
say  that  such  bedding-like  lines  are  common  in  intrudes  of 
quartz-rock,  but  their  exact  origin  has  still  to  be  determined. 
In  the  quartz-rock  which  is  the  basal  bed  of  the  Carboniferous 


164  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

in  places  in  the  Co.  Clare,  such  lines  are  evidently  perpen- 
dicular to  the  true  bedding,  as  thej^  are  also  in  some  of  the 
*'Pipe-Quartzytes"  of  Sutherland,  Scotland. 

The  origin  of  quartz-rock  is  far  from  proved.  So  much 
the  better,  as  it  is  a  field  for  j^oung  geologivSts  to  work  at.  But 
I,  as  an  old  hand,  would  advise  them  to  look  before  they  leap. 
In  places  such  as  Howth;  Carrick  mountain,  Co.  Wicklow; 
Forth  mountain,  Co.  Wexford,  when  casually  examined,  it 
seems  to  be  bedded  with  the  associated  rocks.  But  in  other 
places,  such  as  the  Bannon  district,  Co.  Wexford,  etc.,  it  is 
undoubtedly  intrusive ;  and  nearly  invariably  it  has  these 
bedding-like  planes  often  perpendicular  to  the  walls  of  the 
intrude,  but  sometimes  parallel,  as  is  the  case  in  the  d^-kes  of 
blackish  quartz-rock,  the  adjuncts  of  the  granilytes  on  the 
north-east  flanks  of  mount  Leinster,  Co.  Wicklow. 

Quartz -rock,  as  a  rule,  is  water-bearing,  while  quartzyte 
is  not ;  quartz-rock  ma}^  occur  as  an  independent  rock,  as 
intrudes  or  d5^kes  in  sedimentary  rocks,  or  in  granytes,  or 
as  adjuncts  of  granj'te  veins ;  but  when  there  are  extensive 
tracts  of  quartzyte,  quartz-rocks  nearly  invariabl}^  are  found 
associated  with  them.  These,  where  they  occur,  var}^  the 
otherwise  monotonous  tract,  as  along  them  and  associated  with 
them  are  springs,  and  consequently  spots  and  tracts  of  vege- 
tation ;  this  subject,  however,  will  be  more  particularly  referred 
to  in  the  second  part  of  this  paper. 

As  my  convictions  as  to  the  origin  and  advent  of  quartz- 
rock  have  long  since  been  published,  it  is  unnecessar}^  to  re- 
peat them.' 

Quartzyte  is  perhaps  the  greatest  puzzle  of  geology.  As 
far  as  my  experience  goes,  there  are  no  general  rules  by  which 
to  determine  the  geological  age  of  any  isolated  tract ;  and  the 
most  experienced  worker  may  be  stumbling  about  for  months, 
or  even  years,  before  he  discovers  that  all  his  conclusions 
are  incorrect. 

The  mapping  of  quartzyte  and  quartz-rock  in  Ireland  was 
originally  mixed  up.  Griffith,  indeed,  seems  to  have  had  an 
idea  that  there  was  a  difference  between  them,  and  also  in  the 
ages  of  the  different  tracts  of  quartz3^te,  as  he  has  coloured  and 
lettered  them  differently;  but  as  his  map  is  necessarily  only  a 
general  one,  nothing  definite  can  be  learned  from  it.  W5dey, 
on  his  field-maps  of  Howth,  Wicklow,  and  Wexford,  has 
mapped  quartzj^te  as  distinct  from  quartz-rock,  but  in  De  la 
Beche  and  Oldham's  published  maps  his  classification  is 
ignored. 

Subsequently  John  Kelly  insisted  that  these  rocks  were  of 
distinct  origin,  the  quartz-rock  being  intrusive  or  protrusive 
but  he  was  laughed  at,  although  his  paper  w^as  published  in 
the  Jottr7ial  of  the  Dublin    Geological  Society  (vol.  v.,   1853, 


1  (( 


Geolog}'  of  Ireland,"  pp.  14  and  196. 


Quartzytes  and  Quartz- Rocks.  165 

pp.  240  and  255).  An  amusing  scene  took  place  at  the  dis- 
cussion. An  eminent  chemist  stated :  '*  It  is  a  well-known 
fact  to  chemists  that  quartz  cannot  be  melted,"  when  old  Kelly 
stood  up  and  said:  ''  I  know  a  Chemist  who  can  melt  quartz." 
I  guess  he  was  right. 

When  working  in  the  west  of  Co.  Galway,  I  wanted  to 
map  these  rocks  separately,  but  Jukes  objected.  Subsequently, 
however,  Jukes  examined  for  himself,  and  in  his  one-inch  map 
of  Dublin,  Wicklow,  and  Wexford,  the  quartzyte  and  quartz- 
rock  are  distinctly  lettered  and  coloured. 

In  spite  of  what  had  been  previousl}^  learned,  when  I  read  a 
paper  showing  that  quartz-rock  must  be  either  intruded  or 
protruded,  there  was  such  opposition  to  its  publication  by 
the  Irish  scientific  societies,  that  I  withdrew  it,  and  published 
it  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Ma7ichester  Geological  Society. 
Now  we  seem  to  have  gone  back  to  the  *'  Dark  Ages  "  again, 
as  in  the  maps  and  memoir  of  north-west  Ireland,  recently 
published,  these  rocks  are  higgledy-piggledy. 

Quartzyte  may  be  either  metamorphosed  (sheared)  quartz- 
rock,  or  metamorphosed  sedimentary  silicious  accumulations. 
It  does  not,  however,  necessarily  follow  that  all  quartz-rock,  or 
sedimentary  silicious  rocks,  when  metamorphosed  (sheared) 
should  be  changed  into  quartzyte;  because,  if  the  constituents 
are  suitable,  such  changes  may  produce  silicious  micalyte, 
gneiss,  or  even  a  granitoid  rock.  The  quartz-rock  of  the  Carrick 
mountain-range,  Co.  Wicklow,  when  traced  westward  into  the 
metamorphic  area,  becomes  a  silicious-gneissoid  or  granitoid 
rock,  and  although  called  quartz-rock  on  Wjdey's  working 
maps,  on  Jukes'  published  maps  it  appears  as  granyte.  In 
the  Bennabeola  range  quartzytes,  Co.  Galway,  there  are  dykes 
of  quartz-rock  now  represented  by  fine  granj^toid  rocks  or  gra- 
nular felsytes,  while  in  the  same  range  some  of  the  original 
sandstones  are  now  micalytes ;  also,  in  Co.  Donegal,  there 
were  obliquely  laminated  sandstones,  that  now  in  places  are 
represented  by  obliquely  laminated  massive  gneiss. 

These  sandstones  of  Co.  Donegal  are  ver>'-  interesting  and 
instructive.  They  occur  as  a  middle  zone  in  the  Upper 
Terrane.  To  the  south-westward  they  are  very  much  altered. 
In  the  neighbourhood  of  Knock3^brin  (Letterkenny)  they  are 
much  sheared.  Further  eastward,  from  Rathmelton  to  Lough 
Swilly,  they  are  massive  rocks  that  can  be  roughly  tooled, 
while  if  followed  still  further  eastward  across  Inishowen,  they 
are  found  to  be  a  kind,  compact  rock  eminently  suitable  for 
the  finest  tool-work.  Numerous  other  localities  could  be 
referred  to,  if  necessary'-,  but  those  given  ought  to  illustrate 
the  changes  that  take  place  owing  to  metamorphism. 

A  tract  or  a  massive  dyke  of  quartz-rocks  that  has  been  in- 
vaded by  upthrusting  and  shearing,  and  partl}^  changed  into 
quartzyte  is  most  unsatisfactory  to  work  out  and  explain,  as 
irregular  bits  and  tracts  have  not  been  affected  by  the  shearing 


1 66  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

force  so  that  now  in  man}^  places  between  the  changed  and 
unchanged  rocks,  there  are  no  defined  boundaries,  one  irregu- 
larly merging  into  the  other.  In  Ireland  the  older  quartz^^tes 
after  sedimentary  rocks  (originalh^  Algonkians  or  Pre-Cam- 
brians,  some  probably  being  Cambrians  or  even  Post- 
Cambrians)  generally  appear  to  occur  in  more  or  less  well 
defined  tracts.  This,  however,  is  more  apparent  than  real, 
because  if  minutel)^  w^orked  out,  the}"  in  places  are  found  to  be 
interlaced  with  micalyte  or  other  foreign  schists.  Upthrusting 
has  in  many  places  made  distinct  longitudinal  boundaries  or 
even  transverse  boundaries,  as  the  fioors  of  the  faults  are  of 
the  harder  rocks  ;  not  however  necessarily  one  continued  bed, 
as  the  more  friable  beds,  or  portions  of  beds,  were  ground 
awaj^,  and  the  fault  line  may  creep  across  the  beds,  or  along  a 
line  of  weakness,  thus  crossing  them  more  or  less  transversely. 

(TO   BE  CONCI^UDED.) 


PROCKEDINGS    OF    IRISH  SOCmTlES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI.OGICAI,  SOCIETY. 

Recent  donations  comprise  a  Goat  from  J.  Reilly,  Esq. ;  eight  Dormice, 
four  Hamsters,  five  Edible  Frogs,  two  Hzards,  and  four  toads  from  P. 
Maliouy,  Esq.;  a  Grouse  from  Xv.  Darley,  Esq.;  Rabbits  from  Master 
Maloney;  six  Fantail  Pigeons  from  G.  H.  Stubbs,  Esq.;  a  monkey  from 
Mrs.  Cavanagh;  two  Rabbits  from  Messrs,  G.  and  J.  Armstrong;  a  mon- 
key from  W.  C.  Beevor,  Esq. ;  and  a  pair  of  Cormorants  from  an  unknown 
donor.     A  number  of  sea-fish  for  the  aquarium  have  been  purchased. 

9,300  persons  visited  the  gardens  in  September. 


BEI.FAST  NATURAI^ISTS'   FIEI.D  CI.UB. 

September  17th. — Last  excursion  of  the  season  to  Ardglass  and  Kil- 
lough.  A  party  of  ninety  travelled  by  10.30  train  over  the  new  line  to 
Ardglass.  In  spite  of  the  lateness  of  the  season  the  botanists  did  good 
work,  Mr.  Praeger  being  especially  fortunate,  securing  Papavti-  hybriduvi 
and  Festuca  j'igida,  both  of  which  are  extremely  rare  in  the  north  east. 
Other  species  observed  were  CEnanthe  lachenalii.  Ononis  arvensis,  Papaver 
rhceas,  Lamiiim  intermedium,  L.  amplexicauh,  Ballota  alba,  Sinapis  alba,  Schlero- 
chloa  loliacea.  Uptilted  Silurian  grits,  beautifully  ice-worn,  were  inspected 
on  the  shore,  where  also  a  good  section  of  Glacial  and  Post-glacial  de- 
posits was  seen.  Tea  was  provided  at  Ardglass.  and  the  party  returned 
to  Belfast  by  the  6.35  train. 


ARMAGH  NATURAL^  HISTORY  AND  PHII^OSOPHICAI,  SOCIETY. 

October  5TH.  Annual  meeting  of  the  society.  The  President  (Rev. 
W.  F.  Johnson,  M.A.,  F.E.S.)  occupied  the  chair,  and  there  was  a  large 
attendance.  The  annual  report  and  statement  of  accounts,  which  showed 
the  society  to  be  in  a  very  satisfactory  condition,  were  submitted  and 
adopted,  and  the  present  office-bearers  were  re-elected. 


Proceedings  of  Irish  Societies.  167 

DUBININ  NATURAWSTS'   FIEI<D   ClyUB. 

OCT^OBER  8th.  The  closing  excursion  of  the  season  to  Glendhu  and 
Tibradden  was  attended  hy  twenty-nine  members,  who  drove  from 
Terenure  to  the  wood  at  Glendhu.  Here  the  party  separated.  Rev. 
M.  H.  Close  and  Prof.  Cole  led  those  interested  in  geology,  first  to  a 
gravel-pit  showing  a  good  section  of  the  Middle  Glacial  Drift,  with  nume- 
rous limestone  pebbles,  though  a  mile  on  the  granite  outcrop,  and  then 
to  the  summit  of  Tibradden.  From  here  the  general  structure  of  the 
country  was  seen  and  explained,  and  the  position  of  the  high-level  shell- 
gravels  pointed  out.  Some  of  the  party  came  down  to  Glendhu  again, 
but  the  more  adventurous  proceeded  along  the  ridge  to  Two  Rock  and 
Three  Rock  Mountains,  the  jointed  and  weathered  granite  crags  on  the 
latter  receiving  attention,  and  finally  descended  to  Dundrum. 

In  Glendhu  the  collectors  of  plants  and  insects  did  some  good  work. 
Among  the  insects,  the  handsome  dipteron  Bibio  pomonce,  Fab.,  was  a 
noteworthy  capture.  With  other,  commoner  spiders,  Drapetisca  socialis, 
Sund.,  occurred  in  abundance;  this  species  was  first  taken  in  Ireland  at 
the  September  excursion  of  the  club  in  1890.  Mr.  D.  McArdle  collected 
liverworts,  and  secured  the  following  species: — Friillania  dilatata,  Linn.; 
Radula  complanata,  Linn. ;  Lepidozia  reptans,  Linn. ;  Cephalozia  bictcspidata, 
Linn.;  C.  lammersiana,  Huben.;  Lophocolea  bidentata,  Linn.;  Kantia  tricho- 
manes,  Dicks;  Sacrogyna  vitiadosa,  Mich,;  Scapania  nemorosa.  Dumort;  Diplo- 
phylliun  albicans,  Linn. ;  Plagiochila  asplenioides,  Linn. ;  Jiingennannia  ventricosa, 
Dicks;  and  many  curious  forms  of  Nardia  emarginata,  Bhrb. 

The  October  excursion  is  generally  regarded  as  a  "fungus  foray."  The 
President,  Dr.  McWeeney,  unfortunately,  was  the  only  mycologist  present, 
but  the  number  of  species  found  by  him  was  very  large,  and  Glendhu 
Wood  vindicated  on  this  occasion  its  reputation  as  a  good  collecting- 
ground  for  the  larger  fungi.  The  moss-  covered  soil  swarmed  with  agarics, 
but  only  a  relatively  small  proportion  is  included  in  the  following  list  on 
account  of  the  dif&culty  of  certainly  identifying  the  specimens.  At  least 
half-a-dozen  small  species  of  Cortinarius  [Derniocybe],  and  C.  {Hygrocybe)  are 
omitted  for  this  reason.  The  following  species  were  identified: — Agaricus 
{Clitocybe)  nebulae  is,  Batsch;  A.  {Amanita)  nmscarius;  A.  {Tricholoma)  terreus, 
Schaefif;  A.  {Mycena)  galopns,  Pers. ;  A.  {Lepiota)  granulosus  Scop,  var. 
close  to  broad-iuoodics ;  A.  {Galera)  nvmophilus  Lasch  {on  Pellia)',  A.  {Fholiotd) 
squarrostis;  A.  (^Hypholonid)  sublateritius,  Schaeff;  A.  {Stropharia)  cBruginosus, 
Curt. ;  A.  {Stropharia)  se?niglobatus;  Cortinarius  {Dcrmocybe)  miltinus,  Fr. ;  C. 
i^Hygrocybe)  near  nraceus;  Paxillus  involutus,  Fr. ;  Russula  nigricans,  Fr. ;  R. 
rubra,  Fr. ;  R.  emetica,  Fr. ;  R.  ochroleuca,  Fr. ;  Laciarius  rufus,  Fr. ;  Boletus  edulis 
(large  specimens  seven  and  a-half  inches  across  pilens,  and  seven  inches 
round  thickest  part  of  stipes);  Clavaria  inccqualis ;  "Flo.  Dan.";  Calocera 
viscosa,  Fr. ;  Hydnum  repandum,  Linn;  Helvella  lacunosa,  Afz. ;  Chlorosplenium 
ceruginosum,  "Flo.  Dan.,"  with  fine  cups;  Helotiu?)i  conigenum,  Pers.,  and 
Peziza  vesiculosa,  found  by  Mr.  McArdle,  and  identified  by  Mr.  Phillips,  of 
Shrewsbury,  comprised  the  Discomycetes.  The  imperfect  stage  of  Hypo- 
inyces  sp.  known  as  Sepedonium  chrysospcrniuiii,  was  found  plentifully  on 
dead  Boleti.  The  most  remarkable  finds,  however,  were  amongst  the 
lower  orders  of  Fungi.  A  brown  hyphomycete  with  coiled  spores  close 
to  Helicoma,  but  not  identical  with  //.  viitlleri,  Ca.,  the  only  species  given  as 
British  b}^  Cooke;  and  a  still  more  curious  species,  Ptychogaster  albus,  Ca.., 
for  some  time  proved  quite  a  puzzle. 

The  only  Uredinese  found  were  a  Pucciiiia  on  a  plant  of  Viola  canina, 
another  on  the  Spear- thistle,  and  Phragmidium  violaceuvi  with  uredo-spores, 
and  mature  and  immature  telento-spores  on  one  and  the  same  bramble 
leaf. 

The  commonest  agaric  was  a  yellow  Russula  close  to  if  not  identical 
with  R.  satdonia  and  very  acrid.  It  occurred  in  troops  throughout  the 
wood.  The  number  of  species  in  the  above  list  might  readily  have  been 
trebled  had  a  division  of  labour  been  practicable  in  the  work  of  collection 
and  identification. 


[   i68  ] 
NOTES. 


BOTANY. 


FERNS, 

Hymenopliyllum  tiinbridgense  iisr  Co.  Wexford.  Bearing  on  the 
occurrence  of  this  fern  in  Co.  Wexford  (/.  i\^.,  p.  103),  I  may  state  that  I 
found  a  small  patch  on  the  western  side  of  Taragh  Hill,  near  Courtown, 
on  the  loth  Augiist  last.  Asplciiiuni  marinum  was  ver>^  luxuriant  on  the 
sandstone  cliffs  of  the  adjoining  shore. — H.  G.  Cuthbert,  Blackrock,  Co. 
Dublin. 


PHAXEBOGAMS. 

White  Centaury  (Erytlirsea  centaureum).  White-flowered  speci- 
mens of  this  plant,  as  noticed  in  last  issue  oi  Irish  Naturalist  (p.  144),  are 
certainly  not  common,  but  we  obtained  several  examples  on  the  ex- 
cursion of  the  Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club  to  Ardglass  on  September  17th 
last,  and  I  have  also  seen  it  at  Castlerock,  Co.  Derry.  Many  other  wild 
flowers  occasionally  occur  with  white  blossoms. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 

Stachys  betonica  ix  Co.  Doxegai,.  In  the  Journal  of  Botany  for 
September,  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart  records  this  plant  from  Lough  Fern  near 
Milford,  where  it  was  discovered  by  Mrs.  Leebody.  The  same  energetic 
lady  botanist  has  recently  found  Polygonum  historta  in  the  Frin  Valley,  and 
Galium  ruoUugo  at  Eglinton,  Co.  Derry. 

Ajuga  pyramidalis  ix  THE  Arax  Islaxds.  In  the  Journal  of  Botany 
for  October,  Mr.  N.  Colgan  records  his  rediscovery-  of  this  rare  plant  in  the 
Aran  Islands,  where  it  has  not  been  found  since  Dr.  Moore  discovered  it 
forty  years  ago,  though  sought  for  by  various  botanists.  We  are  glad  to 
observe  also  that  Mr.  Colgan  states  that  Astragalus  hypoglottis  is  not  so  very 
rare  on  the  Aran  Islands  as  recently  described  by  Messrs.  Nowers  and 
Wells  {Journ.  BoL,  1892,  p.  180). 


ZOOLOGY. 


PYCNOGONIDA. 

Pycxogoxida  from  Kii,i,ai,a  Bay.  In  the  Irish  Nat.  for  May  (p.  42), 
I  recorded  a  supposed  new  species  of  Nymphon,  received  from  Miss  War- 
ren. Prof.  D'Arcy  Thompson,  when  in  Dublin,  kindly  examined  the 
specimen,  and  suggested  to  me  that  it  was  N.  gallicum,  Hoek.  After  care- 
ful comparison  with  Hoek's  figures,  I  have  no  doubt  that  this  identifica- 
tion is  correct.  Another  example  of  this  species  was  taken  some  years 
ago  on  the  shore  at  Roundstone,  Connemara,  by  Mr.  A.  G.  More,  and  is 
now  m  the  Science  and  Art  Museum.  Hoek  described  the  species  from 
specimens  taken  near  Roscoff,  on  the  north-west  coast  of  France.  I  have 
lately  received  from  Miss  Warren  Phoxichilus  sjnuosus  and  Phoxichilidium 
femoratum,  taken  in  Killala  Bay;  these  are  the  pycnogons  recorded  by 
Mr.  R.  Warren  in  he  Zoologist  for  October  as  "Nymphons." — G.  H.  Car- 
penter. 


I  N  S  E  C  T  S  . 

C01.EOPTERA  FROM  CouRTowx,  Co.  WEXFORD.  The  following  (with 
notes)  is  a  list  of  beetles  collected  at  Courtown  Harbour  and  district, 
during  a  short  holiday  last  August,  omitting  a  large  number  of  species 
which  are  more  or  less  abundant  ever^-^vhere  : — Cychrus  rostratus,  Carabus 
cateiiulatus,  Nebria  complanata,  Harpalus  puncticollis,  Bradycellus  distindus, 
Aniara  fulva,  A.  consularis^  Calathus  mollis,  ATichoruenus  oblongus,  Bemhidium 


Notes.  169 

affine,  B.  femoratuin,  Deronectes  xii-imstulatus,  Agahus  guttatus,  Ilybius  ater, 
Boletobius  lunulatus,  B.  ^;?/^mfcw5,  Stenus  hinotatus,  Astilhus  canalicukUus, 
Philonthus  eheninus,  Cafius  oiantholoma,  Ocypus  ater,  Melolontha  hijjpocastani, 
Serica  brunnea,  Aegialia  arenaria,  Chrysomela  fastuosa,  0.  polita,  C.  hyjjerici, 
C.  sta])hylea,  Gasthophysa  raphani,  Prasocucis  junci,  Donada  hidens,  Adimonia 
tanaccti,  Lemacyanclla,  Hclodcs  lividus,  Haltiea  pusilJa,  H.  mercitriaUs,PsyUiodes 
chrysocephala,  and  var.  nucca,  P.  chalconicra,  Cassida  eguestris,  Adalia  m-nigruvi, 
Olibrusoeneus,  Pihizobiuslitura,  Otiurrhynchus  atrocqderus,  0.  ligneus,  Cneorrhinus 
geminatus,  Sitones  suturalis,  Hypera  rumicis,  Nanoplmjes  lythri,  Rhampihus 
jflavicornis,  Mesitcs  tardyi,  Helopjs  striatus,  Lagria  hirta,  BMnosimus p)lcinirostris, 
Heliopathes  gibbus. 

Nebria  comjylanat  a. This  species  was  first  taken  at  Court  own  by  Mr.  W. 
F.  de  V.  Kane.  It  occurs  in  some  numbers  on  rock}-  ground  at  River- 
chapel,  just  above  high-water  mark;  also  in  and  about  the  bathing- 
boxes,  to  the  discomfort  of  some  of  the  bathers,  judging  by  certain 
complaints  of  "white  clocks."  The  insect  in  general  is  much  lighter 
coloured  living  than  dead,  and  the  extent  of  the  el3-tral  black  markings 
does  not  vary  much  in  an}-  of  the  specimens  I  captured. 

Bradycellus  distindus.  One  example  on  the  shore  at  Ballyman.  This 
seems  to  be  scarce  or  ver)^  local  in  Ireland.  I  have  taken  it  in  Co.  Louth, 
and  it  has  been  lately  recorded  from  Stormount,  Co.  Down. 

Melolontha  liippocastani.  One  specimen  on  the  shore,  rather  worn,  but 
the  black  border  of  the  el3'tra,  defining  the  species,  is  well  marked. 

Chryso'iiula  fastuosa.  Once,  when  sweeping  docks  in  lyord  Courtow^n's 
demesne, 

Donada  bidens.  One  specimen  on  the  shore;  (known  as  D.  versicolora  in 
Sharp's  Catalogue,  1883). 

Adalia  m-nigrmn.  On  larches,  very  abundant.  These  specimens  are 
all  darker  than  those  from  Co.  Dublin. 

Otiorrhynchus  atroaptcrus.  Common  on  the  sandhills,  and  very  variable 
in  size.  I  found  this  beetle  twice  feeding  upon  dead  Diptera,  though 
usually  considered  herbivorous. 

Mesites  tardyi.  In  great  abundance  under  dead  bark  of  oak,  near  the 
shore.     These  specimens  do  not  var}^  much  in  size  or  colour. 

Lagria  hirta.  A  single  example,  a  male,  captured  in  a  window.  The 
female  I  have  taken  frequently  in  Co.  Dublin,  but  the  male  seems  scarcer. 
For  this  and  one  or  two  other  species,  I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of 
M.  N.  S.  Head,  a  promising  3'oung  entomologist,  from  whom  more  than 
once  I  received  valuable  assistance. — H,  Gore  Cuthbert,  Blackrock, 
Co.  Dublin. 

IvEPiDOPTEiRA  FROM  THE^  IvIMe;rick  DISTRICT.  In  May,  1891,  atPlass3% 
some  few  miles  up  the  Shannon  from  I^imerick,  it  was  m}'  fortune  to  ob- 
tain a  pupa  of  the  Hornet  Clearwing  (Trochiliuni  crabroniformis),  which 
emerging  the  following  month,  produced  the  only  specimen  of  the  moth 
then  recorded  from  this  district.  Going  there  this  year  I  found  the  wil- 
low from  which  I  had  obtained  it  had  been  blown  down,  and  as  the  stem 
seemed  a  good  investment  from  an  entomological  point  of  view,  I  de- 
termined to  secure  it.  The  question  of  ownership  was  easily  arranged 
with  the  occupier  of  the  land  on  which  it  had  grown,  so  earl}-  in  June 
two  sections  of  the  trunk,  each  about  five  feet  long,  were  transported 
wdth  considerable  labour  from  the  river-side  to  my  house  in  this  cit}'-, 
where  they  received  careful  attention  in  the  way  of  watering,  sheltering 
from  strong  sunshine,  and  close  watching.  From  the  17th  to  the  2Stli 
of  the  month  I  was  rewarded  by  the  appearance  of  fourteen  perfect 
insects,  eleven  being  males,  and  three  females.  The  production  of  un- 
welcome visitors  as  earwigs,  woodlice,  centipedes,  slugs,  worms,  etc., 
was  immense,  at  times  almost  alarming  in  one's  house! 

Visiting  Cratloe,  Co.  Clare,  on  the  6th  June,  Dingy  Skippers  {Nissoniades 
tagcs),  were  fairly  common,  and  in  good  condition;  Green  Hair-Streaks 
{Thcda  ruhi),  scarce,  and  ver3-much  worn,  and  in  one  small  marshy  place 
Greasy  Fritillaries  {Mclitcca  aurinia)  were  abundant,  and  in  such  splendid 
order,  as  seemingly  to  have  but  just  emerged.     Going  to  Cratloe  again 


I  70  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

on  the  I5tli  July,  a  deformed  Purple  Hair-Streak  {Thecla  quercus)  was 
found  by  my  son  under  an  oak  tree  in  the  grass.  Keeping  a  look-out 
we  soon  noticed  more  fortunate  individuals  flying  about  the  tops  of  oak 
trees,  but  entirely  out  of  our  reach.  They  continued  on  the  wing  until 
August  12th  (possibly  later),  and  I  obtained  a  fair  number  of  specimens. 
About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoons  they  become  very  active,  playing 
with  and  chasing  their  companions  in  groups  of  from  two  to  six  or  eight, 
and  then  is  the  collector's  opportunity,  as  in  so  doing  they  frequently 
come  within  his  reach,  and  he  may,  as  I  frequently  did,  secure  several  at 
one  stroke  of  the  net.  A  light  handle,  some  ten  feet  long,  I  found  a 
great  help  in  dealing  with  this  "high-flyer."  Silver- washed  Fritillaries 
{Argynnis  pcqjhia),  were  very  abundant  all  through  the  wood,  the  only 
variet}^  obtained  being  a  specimen  in  very  good  condition,  in  which  the 
right  pair  of  wings  are  female,  and  the  left  male. — Francis  Neale,  Limerick. 

Butte: RFi^iES  from  Howth.  In  August  this  year  I  took  on  the  Hill 
of  Howth  a  fine  specimen  of  the  Peacock  Butterfly  ( Vanessa  io),  female, 
I  do  not  know  whether  this  is  a  rare  occurrence  or  not;  it  was  so  to  me 
at  least.  At  several  places  on  the  Hill  the  Grayling  {Satyrus  semele)  was 
exceedingly  abundant.  The  Painted  Lady  {Vanessa  cardui)  was  also  a 
fairly  common  insect  at  several  places  on  the  Baldoyle  coast,  and  the 
Ringlet  {Ej^inejyJiile  hyjjeranthes)  was  of  frequent  occurrence  everywhere. — 
Wni.  Starkey,  Jr.,  Rathmines,  Dublin. 

[F.  io.  is  not  common  in  Co.  Dublin.  We  saw  a  specimen  lately  taken 
at  Kingstown  by  Mr.  R.  K.  Matheson. — Eds.] 

Vannessa  cardui  near  BeI/FAST.  On  the  June  excursion  of  the 
Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club  at  Islandmagee  I  saw  several  specimens 
of  this  beautiful  butterfly ;  some  were  captured,  and  found  to  be  very 
much  faded,  evidently  hybernated  specimens.  For  several  weeks  after 
this  I  kept  a  good  look-out  for  larvae,  but  only  succeeded  in  finding  four 
very  small  ones  in  the  third  week  of  July,  near  Helen's  Bay  station,  Co. 
Down,  from  which  I  reared  three  fine  imagos.  I  think  it  is  about  six  or 
seven  years  since  I  observed  this  species,  w^hen  I  took  several  larvae  in 
this  locality.  This  observ-ation  agrees  with  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson's 
note  in  the  September  number  of  the  Irish  Naturalist.  In  the  past  season 
I  noticed  a  great  scarcity  of  the  larvae  of  the  Tortoise-shell  Butterfly,  V. 
icrticce  but  found  the  Red  Admiral,  V.  atalanta,  numerous,  and  reared 
some  fine  specimens. — ^J.  Hamilton,  Holyv^^ood. 

BuTTERFi^Y  Appearancfs. — I  regret  that  I  cannot  answer  Mr.  C.  B. 
Moffat's  query  {Irish  Naturalist,  p.  146)  as  to  the  nearest  constant  habitat 
to  Kilderry,  of  Epinc2)hile  hyperanthes.  I  think,  however,  I  am  pretty  safe 
in  saying  that  there  is  none  from  which  a  migration  of  larvae  could  be 
possible.  In  1870  I  took  one  specimen  at  Glenalla,  Co.  Donegal,  and  the 
same  summer  I  found  it  not  uncommon  at  Kilcronaghan,  Co.  Derry. 
Within  the  peninsula  of  Inisho\ven  I  have  never  seen  it,  except  at  Kil- 
derry. A  good  many  Red  Admirals  ( Vanessa  atalanta)  were  seen  in  August 
and  September.  In  the  year  1855,  and  again  in  1865,  this  butterfly  lite- 
rally swarmed  at  Kilderry ;  but  for  the  most  part  it  is  decidedly  rare  in 
this  district.  The  Painted  Lady  ( Vanessa  cardui)  seems  to  be  an  insect  of 
a  wandering  disposition.  It  is  not  to  be  looked  for  as  a  frequent  visitor 
at  any  one  spot ;  but  if  one  be  much  upon  the  move,  a  good  many  may 
be  seen  in  any  year.  I  believe  this  is  its  character  nearly  everywhere. — 
W.  B.  Hart,  Falmore,  Carrowmena,  Co.  Donegal. 


MOLLUSC  A. 

Rare;  Moi.i,USCS  from  Co.  S1.IG0.  I  have  to  record  the  occurrence 
of  that  very  rare  shell  Montacuta  daiosoni,  Jeff.,  in  Killala  Bay.  Mr.  Marshall, 
of  Sevenoaks,  Torquay,  detected  a  valve  in  some  shell  sand  that  I  sent 
him  from  this  localit3^  Valves  were  dredged  in  deep  water  off  Donegal 
Bay,  in  the  "  Porcupine"  expedition.  Another  rare  shell,  Odostomia  niti- 
dissima,  Mont.,  has  been  obtained  in  shell  sand  from  Enniscrone,  Co.  Sligo. 

Some  of  the  readers  of  the  Irish  Naturalist  who  take  an  interest  in  Vcr- 


Notes.  171 

tigos,  will  be  pleased  to  know  that  there  is  a  small  spot  in  Killanley  m  arsh 
Co.  Sligo,  where  V.  augustior  is  living.  I  have  got  numbers  at  the  roots 
of  grass,  but  only  on  a  favourable  day,  when  the  atmosphere  is  warm  and 
moist,  are  the  little  creatures  to  be  found  easily ;  a  cold  or  dry  day  sends 
them  out  of  sight  somewhere.  They  are  not  shy,  but  soon  begin  to  crawl 
about  the  collecting  box.  I  discovered  this  habitat  several  years  ago,  and 
sent  some  living  specimens  to  the  late  Dr.  Jeffreys,  who  wished  to  make 
some  notes  on  the  animal.  I  have  also  found  V.  substriata  in  the  same 
marsh,  but  it  is  niuch  rarer  here  than  F.  augustior.  I  may  add  that  I  have 
frequently  seen  the  latter  in  shell-sand  from  the  sea-shore. — Amy  Warren, 
Moy  View,  Ballina. 

IvAND  SHE1.1.S  FROM  Co.  DoNKGAi..     On  the  occasion  of  the  excursion 
of  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club  to  Bundoran  and  Sligo,  in  July  last, 
I  wandered  along  the  sandy  shores  of  the  River  Erne,  close  to  its  mouth, 
and  was  watching  the  evolutions  of  a  flock  of  a  dozen  fine  Sheldrake, 
which  were  circling  round,  when  my  attention  was  directed  to  a  deposit 
left  by  the  receding  waves  at  high  water-mark,  and  which,  on  inspection, 
was  found  to  consist  mainly  of  innumerable  specimens  of  small  land.- 
shells,  mixed  with  sand,  scraps  of  sea- weed,  and  rabbits'  droppings.     I 
brought  away  a  box  full  of  the  material  for  examination,  and  finding  the 
smaller  forms  too  critical  for  my  limited  knowledge,  I  sent  a  portion  to 
Dr.  R.  F.  Scharff,  who  picked  out  from  one  and  a-half  ounces  of  the  stuff, 
no  less  than  1050  specimens  of  land-shells  (unbroken  ones  only  counted) 
representing  eighteen  different  species,  several   of  the  more  abundant 
forms  being  rare  or  local  species  in  Ireland.     The  following  list,  which 
Dr.  Scharff  kindly  sent  me,  gives  the  proportion  of  the  different  kinds: — 
Pupa  muscorum,  508  specimens ;  Helix  xnUehella,  166;   Vertigo  augustior,  134; 
Glausilia  bidentata,  44 ;   GochlicojM  lubrica,  53  ;   Vertigo  pygmma,  32  ;   Carychium 
minimum,  25;  Helix  Mspida,  23;   Vertigo  pusilla,  15;  Helix  acuta,  14;   Vertigo 
striata,  11;  Hyalinia  crystallina,   11;  Helix  nemoralis  (juv.),  5  ;  Helix  pygmma 
3 ;  Hyalinia  fulva,  3 ;  Hyalinia   cellaria  (juv),  1 ;   Vertigo  edentula,   1 ;  Helix 
ericetoriim  (juv.),  i.     Two  young  Hydrohice  also  cccured,  a  young  Cardium, 
and  a  young  Pleurotoma,  derived  from  the  marine  waters  adjoining.     As 
regards  the  origin  of  the  material,  the  fact  of  the  shells  being  discovered 
in  a  dead  state  cast  up  by  the  waves,  of  course  precludes  a  positive  state- 
ment; but  judging  by  the  entire  absence  of  fresh-water  shells  and  plants, 
twigs,  leaves,  and  other  transported  matter,  which  would  certainly  have 
been  present  had  the  deposit  been  derived  from  the  upper  reaches  of 
the  river,  or  from  the  extensive  sheets  of  inland  water  through  which  it 
flows,  and  by  the  abundance  of  rabbits'  droppings,  and  the  character  of 
the  shells  themselves,  several  of  which  particularly  favour  dry  and  sandy 
places  near  the  sea,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  material  came  from 
the  extensive  stretch  of  sand-dunes  that  fringe  both  sides  of  the  river- 
mouth,  whence  it  was  washed  down  by  heavy  rains.     In  this  opinion 
Dr.  Scharff  agrees  with  me,  and  I  quite  expect  that  all  the  species  men- 
tioned will  be  found  living  there  by  the  first  conchologist  who  investigates 
the  neighbourhood. — R.  Lloyd  Praeger. 

BIRDS. 

Ruddy  Shei^drakes,  (Tadorna  rtitila),  in  Irei^and.  A  flock  of 
five  of  these  birds  appeared  at  Skerries  in  the  latter  part  of  June,  of  which 
three  were  shot,  two  unfortunately  not  preserved.  Another  was  shot  a 
week  later  at  Drogheda,  probably  part  of  the  same  flock.  I  have  heard 
of  another  shot  at  the  same  time  at  Portarlington,  Queen's  County. — K. 
Williams,  Dublin  (  in  Zoologist  for  October). 

Sea-birds  in  Co.  S1.1GO.  It  may  interest  some  of  your  readers  to 
know  that  a  fine  specimen  of  the  rare  Pomatorine  Skua,  Stercorarius  p)oriia- 
torhinus,  was  washed  ashore  at  Enniscrone,  Co.  Sligo,  on  Monday,  the  3rd 
October.  I  found  it  quite  fresh  and  uninjured  when  searching  for  shells, 
after  a  storm  from  the  north.  The  following  day  my  brother  got  a 
Fulmar  Petrel,  Fulmarus  glacialis,  and  two  young  Gannets,  Sula  hassana,  on 
another  part  of  the  sandy  beach,  the  same  tide  had  evidently  washed  them 
all  in. — Amy  Warren,  Moy  View,  Ballina. 


172  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

MAMMALS. 

Irish  FossiI/  Mammai^s.  As  I  have  it  in  contemplation  to  prepare  a 
map  showing  the  distribution  of  fossil  mammal  remains  in  Ireland,  I 
shall  feel  much  obliged  to  any  correspondents  who  will  be  so  kind  as  to 
communicate  to  me,  the  names  of  localities  where  well  authenticated 
discoveries  of  such  remains  have  been  made,  especially  those  of  late  years, 
and  of  which  perhaps  only  ephemeral  notices  in  the  daily  press,  if  any, 
have  hitherto  been  published. — V.  Ball,  Science  and  Art  Museum,  Dublin. 

The  Irish  Rat  (Mus  hilaeriiicus,  Thomps.),  on  I^undy  Isi^and. 
With  reference  to  Mr.  Charbonnier's  note  on  this  subject  in  the  Septem- 
ber issue  of  the  Irish  Naturalist,  I  should  like  to  call  attention  to  the 
following,  which  appeared  in  the  Field  of  April  2nd.  last : — "  It  is 
always  sad  to  hear  of  the  extinction  of  any  species  of  mammal  or  bird  in 
Kngland,  and  I  fear  our  old  English  Black  Rat  is  fast  disappearing  from 
its  last  refuge  in  Lund}^  Island.  Until  a  few  years  ago  the  Black  Rat  was 
quite  common  there,  particularl}^  on  Rat  Island;  but  lately  its  old  enemy, 
the  so-called  Norway  Rat,  has  gradually  driven  it  from  pillar  to  post,  until 
there  is  great  danger  that  the  Black  Rat  will  be  entirely  exterminated." 
The  writer  of  the  above  note  has  kindly  informed  me  that  he  possesses 
a  specimen  of  the  English  Black  Rat  {Mus  rattus),  which  was  captured  on 
I/undy  Island.  Unfortunately,  I  have,  as  57et,  been  unable  to  examine  it, 
and  it  is  possible  that  it  may  be  in  reality  a  specimen  of  Mus  hibernicus. 
It  would  be  interesting  if  it  were  found  that  both  black  rats  occur  on 
Lundy  Island.  Perhaps  Mr.  Charbonnier  can  tell  us  if  this  is  the  case  } 
I  should  be  very  much  obliged  if  he  would  kindly  give  the  dimensions  of 
his  specimen,  or,  better  still  allow  me  to  examine  it. — G.  E.  H.  Barrett- 
Hamilton,  Kilmanock,  New  Ross,  Co.  Wexford. 


GEOLOGY. 


Perforations  in  Carboniferous  Limestone. — I  am  sure  many 
readers  of  the  Irish  Naturalist  will  thank  Dr.  Scharff  for  his  paper  on 
this  subject.  I  believe  all  who  will  carefully  examine  these  curious  per- 
forations, will  conclude  that  they  were  formed  by  some  animated  agent, 
presumably  by  either  the  marine  Pholas  crispata,  or  the  land  Helix  aspersa. 
The  latter  Dr.  Scharff  believes  to  be  the  real  constructor.  Yet  I  think 
the  former  has  got  only  scant  justice.  Of  course,  the  "fresh  condition" 
of  the  perforations  seem  to  be  conclusive  against  referring  their  con- 
struction to  a  distant  geological  era.  But,  I  think,  it  can  be  shown  that 
this  ''freshness"  is  only  apparent.  From  the  situation  of  the  rock  (/.  N. 
for  June)  on  the  side  of  a  steep  brae,  surrounded  by  a  thick  layer  of  stiff 
Boulder  clay,  containing  erratics  of  whin  and  sandstone,  out  of  which 
this  perforated  limestone  rock  juts  for  only  a  few  feet,  or  a  few  inches, 
I  think  it  can  be  scarcely  be  doubted  that  at  a  comparatively  recent  date, 
this  rock,  with  all  its  furrows  and  holes,  was  covered  up  by  this  Boulder 
clay,  which  has  now  been  washed  away  into  the  low  land  by  the  rain  and 
storms  of  many  years.  If  this  be  admitted,  there  is  little  difficulty  in 
going  a  step  further,  and  ascribing  the  tunneling  to  Pholades  before  they 
were  overtaken  in  their  labours  by  the  great  climatic  change  which  took 
place  in  this  country  during  the  Glacial  period.  Of  course,  when  this 
rock  was  covered  by  the  drift  clay,  it  was  perfectlj^  preserved  It  is  pro- 
bable, then,  that  this  tunneling  is  not  the  work  of  any  mollusc  now 
living  either  on  land,  or  in  the  sea.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  the  rock  may  have  been  attacked  by  a  land  mollusc  after 
being  denuded  of  its  covering  of  earth,  but  I  never  saw  in  this  locality 
a  snail  capable  of  making  an  impression  on  a  stone. — O.  Smith,  Nobber, 
Co.  Meath. 

There  is  no  doubt,  after  the  investigations  referred  to  in  my  paper,  that 
Helix  aspersa  does  bore  stones;  and  it  is  a  common  snail  in  most  parts  of 
Ireland.  One  of  the  most  striking  points  which  I  hardly  mentioned 
against  the  theory  of  the  holes  having  Ijeen  produced  by  Pholas  is  that  the 
perforations  commence  as  broad,  shallow  pits,  while  small  holes,  siich  as 
are  produced  by  young  Pholades,  are  quite  wanting. — R.  F.  Scharff,  Dublin. 


Vol..  I.  DECEMBER,  1892.  No.  9 

NOTES  ON  THE  BIRDS  OF  LOUGH  SWILLY 

BY   PROFESSOR  J.    R.    I,KKBODY,    M.A.,    D.SC. 


Very  full  information  regarding  the  birds  of  the  Co.  Donegal 
may  be  found  in  a  series  of  articles  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart,  in  the 
Zoologist  for  August,  September,  October,  November,  and 
December,  1891.  The  present  paper  refers  to  the  birds  of  a 
single  district,  but  a  very  favourable  district  for  studying  the 
habits  of  our  winter  migrants.  The  facts  recorded  are  all  the 
result  of  personal  observation. 

The  birds  of  a  district  may,  for  purposes  of  stud}^  be  con- 
veniently classified  into  permanent  residents,  summer  visitors, 
and  winter  visitors.  The  permanent  residents  of  Lough  Swilly 
are  those  ordinarily  found  round  any  estuary  of  our  coasts, 
with  the  addition  of  the  following,  which  are  not  so  com- 
mon:— The  Peregrine,  the  Raven,  the  Kingfisher,  the  Shel- 
drake, and  the  Shoveller.  The  Peregrine  breeds  each  year  in 
at  least  two  places  on  the  lough — the  Bin  and  Knockalla. 
The  Raven  breeds  at  Dunaff  Head  and  the  Bin.  In  1890  and 
1 89 1,  the  Kingfisher  bred  at  Inch.  One  or  two  pairs  of  Shovel- 
lers breed  regularly  at  Inch,  and  at  least  one  pair  of  Sheldrake. 

The  summer  visitors  which  frequent  Lough  Swilly  are  not 
very  numerous.  The  Guillemots,  Razorbills,  Puffins,  and  Gulls, 
which  breed  in  such  countless  thousands  at  Horn  Head,  visit 
the  lough  in  pursuit  of  food ;  but,  except  at  Dunaff,  do  not,  to 
any  extent,  use  the  cliffs  bounding  its  shores  as  breeding-places. 
So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  observe,  sea-fowl  rarely  select 
cliffs  as  a  breeding-place,  unless  these  are  in  proximity  to  a 
strong  tidal  run  in  the  open  sea.  The  reason  for  this  seems 
obvious:  the  parent  birds  mainly  rely  on  herring  fry  as  a  food 
suppl}^  for  their  nestlings,  and  although  herring  fry  are  dis- 
tributed pretty  generally  round  our  coasts  in  June  and  July, 
they  are  most  plentiful  in  any  locality  where  there  is  a  strong 
open  sea  and  tidal  current.  Horn  Head  and  Rathlin  are  the 
places  which  best  fulfil  this  condition  on  the  north  of  Ireland 
coast. 


174  The  Irish  Nahiralist. 

The  main  interest  of  the  birds  of  Lough  Swilly  centres  in 
the  winter  visitors.  The  lough  bifurcates  into  various  inlets, 
which  are  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles  from  the  open  sea. 
These  abound  in  shallows,  furnishing  the  food  and  shelter  so 
attractive  to  wild-fowl  in  wintr}^  weather.  One  of  these  inlets 
is  a  special  wild-fowl  resort.  The  island  of  Inch  is  situated 
about  fifteen  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  lough.  On  its  west 
side  it  is  bounded  by  rapidly-deepening  water.  On  its  other 
sides  the  water  was  very  shallow.  Some  forty  years  ago  two 
embankments  were  constructed  connecting  Inch  with  the 
mainland.  The  north  and  west  sides  of  the  island  are  now  sur- 
rounded by  the  sea ;  the  south  and  east  sides  are  bounded  by 
shallow  water  cut  off  by  the  embankments.  The  portion  of 
water  so  cut  off,  I  speak  of  in  this  paper  as  "the  inland  water." 
It  is  really  a  sheltered  shallow  lake  of  brackish  water,  several 
hundred  acres  in  extent,  and  abounding  with  every  sort  of 
food  in  which  wild-fowl  delight.  In  severe  weather  flight- 
shooting  can  be  successfully  practised  between  the  inland 
water  and  the  sea,  and  it  was  while  engaged  in  flight-shooting 
that  mo  rt  of  my  observations  were  made. 

Anser  ciiiereus,  Meyer. — Grey  Lag-Goose. — This  goose  is  rare.  In 
the  winter  188S-89  a  flock  of  nine  or  ten  geese  stayed  on  the  Inch 
water  for  some  weeks.  From  a  scrutin}-  with  a  field  glass,  I  judged 
them  to  be  Grey  Lags,  and  one  shot  by  a  local  fowler  weighed  11  lbs. 

A.  albifrons,  Scop. — White-fronted  Goose. — From  thirty  to  forty 
of  these  geese  stay  each  winter  on  the  Inch  water.  They  arrive 
in  November,  and  do  not  leave  till  May.  I  noticed  them  as  late  as 
May  19th  in  1891.  This  year  they  left  about  May  ist ;  but  I  noticed  a 
single  bird  near  Buncrana  on  May  25th. 

Bernicla  leucopsis,  Bechst. — Bernici^e  Goose. — Rather  rare  in  Lough 
Swilly.  One  was  shot  during  the  past  winter  (1891-92)  by  a  Derry 
gentleman,  who  has  had  it  preserved. 

B.  brenta.  Pall. — Brent  Goose. — Extremely  plentiful  in  Lough  Swilly. 
Plocks  which  cover  several  acres  of  water  may  frequently  be  seen 
seen  between  Inch  and  the  mouth  of  the  river  Lennan.  They  arrive 
about  the  end  of  September,  and  leave  about  the  beginning  of  March. 
They  seldom  visit  the  inland  water,  and  very  few  of  them  fall  to  the 
gun  of  the  flight-shooter. 

Cygrnus  musicus,  Bechst. — Wir^D  Swan  or  Whooper. — Five  swans 
visited  the  inland  water  in  the  winter  of  1889,  which  I  judged,  from 
their  size,  to  be  Whoopers.  One  of  them,  shot  by  a  local  fowler, 
weighed  over  16  lbs. 

C.  bewicki,  Yarrell. — Bewick's  vSwan. — This  swan  visits  the  Inch  water 
ever}'  season.  In  the  winter  of  1890-91  they  were  unusually  numerous. 
I  shot  two,  one  of  which  I  had  preserved,  and  I  might  have  shot  several 
others.  On  one  occasion  I  counted  forty  on  the  inland  water.  During 
this  w-inter,  swans  were  plentiful  on  all  the  Donegal  lakes. 

Tadorna  cornuta,  G.  S.  Gmel.— Common  SHEiyDR.\KE. — At  least  one 
pair  breed  at  Inch  each  season,  A  pair  bred  this  year  on  the  golf-links 
at  Lisfannon,  halfway  between  Fahan  and  Buncrana.  I  did  not  seek 
to  discover  their  nest,  as  I  feared  that  if  I  inadvertantly  drew  the 
attention  of  the  "caddies"  to  its  existence,  its  non-existence  would 
soon  follow.  I  observed  the  male  bird  almost  daily,  while  the  female 
was  sitting,  and  saw  the  j-oung  birds  afterwards  with  their  parents.  I 
have  been  told  by  an  old  resident  at  Inch  that  before  the  embank- 
ments were  made  Sheldrake  bred  freely  on  the  face  of  a  hill  near  the 
present  railway  station. 


Notes  071  the  Birds  of  Lough  S witty.  175 

T.  casarca,  Linn. — Ruddy  Sheldrake. — Six  of  these  birds  appeared  at 
Inch  in  the  middle  of  August  in  the  present  year.  Two  were  shot  by 
local  sportsmen,  and  have  been  preserved.  I  have  never  heard  of  their 
being  previously  observed  in  Lough  Swilly. 

Anas  boscas,  Linn. — Wii,d  Duck. — Breed  numerously  near  Inch,  and 
large  numbers  of  visitors  arrive  each  autumn. 

A.  strepera,  Linn. — Gadwai,!,. — Very  rare.  I  have  only  known  of  three 
being  shot  during  the  last  three  years.  One  of  these  I  secured  in 
January  of  the  present  year,  and  I  have  had  it  preserved. 

Spatula  clypeata,  Linn. — ShoveIvI^ER. — One  or  two  pairs  breed  at  or 
near  Inch  each  season.  The  migratory  birds  arrive  in  October.  They 
soon  become  ver}-  shy,  and  rarely  fall  to  the  gun  of  the  flight-shooter. 
No  bird  is  more  dif&cult  to  retrieve  than  a  wounded  Shoveller. 

Dafila  acuta,  Linn. — PinTaii,. — Plentiful  at  Inch  in  February  and  the 
beginning  of  March.  A  few  are  present  at  Inch  all  winter  ;  but  during 
the  latter  half  of  February  their  numbers  increase  greatly.  Apparently 
these  ducks  winter  further  south  than  Donegal,  and  rest  on  our  waters 
for  a  short  time  before  starting  on  their  journey  north. 

Querquedula  crecca,  Linn. — Teai,. — A  considerable  number  breed  near 
Inch,  and  about  the  end  of  September  the  winter  visitors  arrive. 

Mareca  penelope,  Linn. — Wigeon. — Begin  to  arrive  towards  the  end  of 
September,  and  are  the  most  numerous  of  our  ducks.  Flocks  of  several 
thousands  may  frequently  be  seen  on  the  sea  between  Inch  and  Fahan. 
Unless  in  very  severe  weather,  they  stay  on  the  sea  during  the  day,  and 
fly  to  the  inland  water  at  dusk,  flying  out  to  sea  at  dawn.  I  have  seen 
Wigeon  at  Inch  in  the  middle  of  May,  but  I  have  never  heard  of  their 
breeding  with  us. 

Puligula  ferina,  Linn. — Pochard. — Plentiful  at  Inch  all  the  winter,  but 
most  plentiful  in  the  months  of  December  and  January.  I  have  noticed 
that  Pochards  very  frequently  congregate  in  small  flocks,  all  of  one 
sex. 

r.  cristata,  Leach. — Tufted;  Duck. — Not  very  plentiful;  each  winter, 
however,  I  have  shot  a  few. 

P.  marila,  Linn . — Scaup. — Next  to  the  Wigeon  the  most  plentiful  of  the 
winter  visitors  to  Inch.  A  few  Scaup  remain  on  the  inland  water  all 
summer,  but  I  believe  they  are  wounded  birds  which  have  not  recovered 
their  power  of  flight  sufficiently  to  join  their  companions  in  the 
northern  migration.     I  have  never  heard  of  their  breeding. 

Clangula  glaucion,  Linn. — Goi^den  Eye. — Arrive  at  Inch  in  great 
numbers  towards  the  end  of  October,  and  continue  plentiful  till 
March.  I  have  seen  a  few  in  July,  but  these  were  probably  wounded 
birds,  unable  for  the  northern  migration.  The  Golden  Eye  differs  from 
almost  all  the  other  ducks  in  having  an  inclination  to  rest  on  the  inland 
water  at  Inch  during  the  day,  if  not  disturbed,  and  fly  to  the  sea  to- 
wards the  evening.  They  are  not  as  gregarious  as  the  Pochard, 
Scaup,  or  Wigeon,  preferring  to  fly  in  small  flocks  of  from  ten  to 
twenty. 

Karelda  glacialis,  Linn. — Long-taii,ed  Duck. — Rather  rare.  One  or 
two  turn  up  in  each  Vvdnter's  shooting,  generally  young  birds. 

CEdemia  nigra,  Linn. — Common  Scoter. — May  be  noticed  occasionally 
near  the  mouth  of  Lough  Swilly,  but  I  have  never  seen  a  specimen  at 
Inch. 

Mergfus  merganser,  Linn. — Goosander.  Very  rare.  A  fine  specimen 
was  shot  by  one  of  my  sons  a  few  years  ago,  but  it  was  too  much  injured 
to  preserve. 

Mergus  serrator,  Linn.— Red-breasted  Merganser.  Very  plentiful 
during  the  winter  months.  I  have  seen  them  at  Inch  during  the 
summer,  but  I  am  not  aware  of  their  breeding  in  the  locality. 

Mergus   albellus,  Linn. — Smew. — Very  rare.     I   shot  one  in  January 
1S91,  but  failed  to  secure  it.     About  the  same  time  another  was  shot 
by  a  gentleman  residing  near  Inch,  and  he  had  it  preserved. 

Fulica  atra,  Linn.— CooT. — A  considerable  number  of  Coots  breed  at 


176  The  Irish  Na tu ra list. 

Inch,  but  not  enough  to  account  for  a  tithe  of  the  large  numbers  which 
collect  there  during  the  winter  months.  A  flock  of  some  thousands 
may  frequently  be  seen  on  the  inland  water,  and  large  flocks  also  con- 
gregate on  the  sea.  Although  most  reluctant  to  fly,  the  Coot  is 
strong  on  the  wing. 

Larus  marinus,  Linn.— Great Bi.ack-backed  Gui^i,. — All  the  more  com- 
mon Gulls  are  plentiful  at  Inch  during  the  winter.  It  is  a  most  favour- 
able station  for  observing  the  habits  of  the  Great  Black-backed.  Five 
or  six  of  these  powerful  birds  are  usually  flying  round  Inch  on  the 
look-out  for  any  unfortunate  Duck  or  Wigeon  which  may  have  been 
winged  by  the  punt-gunners  or  flight-shooters.  I  have  never  seen 
them  attack  an  un wounded  bird,  but  the  terror  which  the  presence  of 
one  of  them  inspires,  even  in  a  large  flock  of  Brent  Geese,  is  most  re- 
markable. A  wounded  bird  rarely  escapes  them,  as  no  matter  how  per- 
sistently it  may  dive,  they  are  always  ready  to  swoop  down  on  it  the 
moment  it  shows  on  the  surface.  After  a  time  the  bird  becomes  too 
exhausted  to  dive  without  a  short  rest,  and  is  then  killed  by  a  single 
blow  on  the  head  from  the  Gull's  beak.  I  have  seen  them  attempt  to 
take  fish  from  both  the  Cormorant  and  the  Great  Northern  Diver,  but 
both  of  these  are  too  expert  divers  to  be  easily  robbed.  As  a  rule,  the 
Great  Black-back  reigns  undisputed  tyrant  on  the  water  at  Inch.  The 
only  exception  to  this  rule  I  have  observed,  came  under  my  notice  in 
January,  1891.  A  Peregrine  was  perched  on  a  heap  of  stones  near  the 
water's  edge  evidently  meditating  a  dash  at  a  flock  of  Green  Plovers  on 
a  mud  bank.  A  Black-back  was  beating  over  the  water  on  the  look-out 
for  wounded  duck,  and  as  soon  as  he  swooped  over  the  plovers,  they 
scattered  in  every  direction.  The  Peregrine,  I  suppose,  deeming  this 
an  unfair  interference  with  his  sport,  and  thinking  that  the  rule — 
"Hawks  dinna  pick  out  hawk's  een,"  might  for  once  be  disregarded, 
rose  perpendicularly  in  the  air,  and  struck  at  the  Gull.  The  astonish- 
ment and  rage  of  the  latter  were  extreme,  and  he  had  barely  time  to 
wheel  round  to  present  his  beak  to  his  assailant.  The  falcon  swerved 
from  the  shock,  but  a  second  and  third  time  struck  at  the  gull,  which 
I  expected  to  see  killed.  He  was  always,  however,  able  to  present  *his 
beak  to  his  foe,  who  seemed  to  recognise  clearly  that  impact  on  this 
meant  death,  and  swerved  before  collision.  The  contest  ended  in  a 
drawn  battle,  as  the  Gull's  attempt  to  assume  the  offensive  were  futile. 

Colymbus  glacialis,  Linn. — GrkaT  Northern  Diver. — During  the 
winter  three  or  four  pairs  will  always  be  found  fishing  in  the  sea  near 
Inch.  A  favourite  resort  for  a  pair  is  the  bay  at  the  south  side  of  the 
island.  These  birds  go  in  pairs,  and  when  a  pair  select  a  fishing-ground, 
they  keep  possession  of  it.  If  one  of  them  be  shot,  by  the  next  day  a 
pair  will  be  found  in  occupation.  Probably  the  survivor  of  the  original 
pair  has  been  driven  away  by  the  joint  efforts  of  his  supplanters.  Like 
most  of  the  Divers,  this  bird  rarely  flies,  though  when  it  does  fly,  it  is 
strong  on  the  wing.     I  have  occasionally  seen  a  solitary  bird  in  summer. 

C.  septentrionalis,  Linn. — Red-Throated  Diver. — During  the  winter  a 
few  of  these  birds  are  always  fishing  in  the  sea  near  the  Inch  embank- 
ments. Unlike  the  Northern  Diver,  they  do  not  fish  in  pairs.  They 
are  more  disposed  to  fly  than  the  Northern  Diver,  and  I  have  shot  them 
when  flight-shooting. 

C.  arcticus,  Linn. — Bi,ack-Throated  Diver. — A  specimen  of  this  rare 
diver  was  secured  on  the  south  side  of  Inch  on  November  ytli,  1892,  by 
my  friend  Rev.  Prof  Henr}',  who  has  had  it  preserved. 

Fodicipes  fluviatilis,  Tunstall. — Dab-chick. — Plentiful  on  the  inland 
water  at  Inch. 

P.  auritus,  Linn.— Si^avonian  or  Dusky  Grebe.— Not  very  plentiful. 
Kvery  winter,  however,  and  during  the  entire  winter,  one  or  two  may 
be  seen  fishing  in  the  bay  on  the  south  side  of  Inch. 

A  number  of  birds  make  a  short  stay  at  Inch  during  the 
autumn,   but  do  not  winter  with  us.     Among  these  may  be 


Notes  071  the  Birds  of  Lough  S  willy.  177 

mentioned  the  Whimbrel,  the  Bar-tailed  Godwit,  and  the  Knot. 
The  Black-tailed  Godwit  is  also  an  occasional  visitor.  A  bird 
which  used  to  be  extremely  plentiful  with  us  all  the  winter, 
the  Golden  Plover,  has  become  much  scarcer  than  formerly, 
and  seems  disposed  to  limit  its  stay  with  us  to  a  short  time  in 
the  end  of  autumn.  I  can  suggest  no  reason  for  this.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  number  of  Curlew  which  winter  with  us,  has 
of  late  years,  largely  increased.  This  I  attribute  to  the  fact 
that  we  have  had  no  long-continued  frost  for  the  last  six  or 
seven  years.  In  long-continued  frost  the  mud  fiats  on  which 
the  Curlew  mainly  feed,  become  gradually  coated  over  with 
the  floating  ice  deposited  by  the  receding  tide,  and  then 
hundreds  of  them  perish  for  lack  of  food.  I  recollect  that, 
towards  the  end  of  a  severe  frost  which  occurred  seven  or 
eight  years  ago,  it  was  possible  to  knock  down  Curlew  with  a 
stick  in  the  fields  adjoining  lyOUgh  Swilly  and  Lough  Foyle. 


THE   IRISH  LAND  AND  FRESHWATER   MOLLUSCA. 

■  BY  R.  F.  SCHARFF,  PH.D.,  B.SC. 


( Concluded  from  page  1 53 . ) 


GASTROPODA. 

PROSOBRANCHIA  TA. 


Genus— ACME. 

Acme  lineata,  Drap. 

I.     —    III.     IV.    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     —    —    XI.     XII. 

This  species  is  widely  distributed  in  Ireland.  It  should  be  looked  for 
among  moss  and  under  stones  in  damp  localities. 

Foreign  Distribution.— Great  Britain,  France,  south  Germany, 
Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Algiers,  and  Morocco. 

Genus— CYCLOSTOMA. 

Cyclostoma  elegans,  Mull. 

_    _    _    _    v.?    -    -    —    -    -    XI..?    — 

It  appears  that  hitherto  only  dead  shells  of  this  species  have  been  found 
on  various  parts  of  the  coast,  which  induced  Thompson  (15)  to  doubt  its 
being  indigenous.  Mr.  Milne  sent  me  a  specimen  which  had  been  taken 
at  Inch  (Donegal),  but  it  could  not  be  ascertained  whether  it  had  lived 
in  the  locality. 

Genus— PALUDINA. 

Faludina  vivipara,  L. 

This  large  freshwater  species  is  said  to  have  been  found  by  Capt.  Brown 
in  a  stream  at  Newtownards,  Co.  Down;  I  hope  some  of  our  northern 
conchologists  will  carefully  investigate  that  district.  Thompson  (15) 
never  saw  an  Irish  specimen,  and  it  must,  therefore,  be  placed  among 
those  doubtfully  native. 

B 


1 78  The  Irish  Nahcralist. 

Genus— BYTHINIA. 

Bytliinia  tentaculata,  L. 
_    II.     _    _    V.    VI.     VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

In  the  eastern  counties  this  species  is  pretty  common,  but  it  appears 
to  be  absent  in  the  south-west  of  Ireland. 

Fore;ign  Distribution, — Great  Britain,  throughout  continental 
Europe,  Asia  Minor,  Kashmir,  Algiers,  Morocco,  and  Siberia. 

Genus— HYDROBIA. 

Hydrobia  ventrosa,  Mont. 
—    ~    —    —    V.     —    —    —    —    -     —    XII. 


This  species,  like  the  next,  is  a  brackish-water  form  occurring  in 
estuaries,  such  as  portions  of  Dublin  Bay  and  Larne  Lough. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Coasts  of  England  and  Wales,  Sweden, 
France,  Portugal,  and  Algiers. 

Hydrobia  ulvse,  Penn. 
—    —    —    —    V.    —    —    —    IX.    —    —    XII. 

Miss  Warren  records  this  species  from  the  coast  of  Sligo,  and  it  is 
common  in  many  localities  along  the  east  coast. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Coasts  of  Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia, 
Germany,  and  France. 

Genus— VALV  ATA. 

Valvata  piscinalis,  Miill. 
—    II.     —    IV.     V.     VI.    VII.    VIII.     IX.     X.     XL     XII. 

This  is  a  common  species  in  slowly  moving  or  stagnant  waters  in  most 
parts  of  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Finland,  Russia, 
Germany,  Switzerland,  Transylvania,  Austria,  France,  north  Italy,  Spain, 
Portugal,  Thibet,  Turkestan,  Kashmir,  and  Siberia;  (a  closely  allied  species 
V.  sificera,  in  North  America). 

Valvata  cristata,  Mlill. 
—    —    —    —    V.    —    VII.    —    IX.    X.     XL.?    — 

This  small  species  has  not  been  recorded  from  many  Irish  localities, 
and  seems  quite  absent  in  the  south-west. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  south 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  France,  Italy, 
Corsica,  and  Sicily. 

Genus— NE  KIT  IN  A. 

Neritina  fluviatilis,  L. 
I.     XL     —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    —    — 

In  the  north  of  Ireland  this  species  seems  to  be  absent,  and  in  the  east 
it  is  chiefly  found  in  canals  by  which  it  may  have  been  brought  from  the 
west,  where  it  is  more  common. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England,  Scotland,  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
south  Russia,  central  and  west  Germany,  Galicia,  north  Italy,  France, 
and  Spain. 


The  Irish  Land  and  Fresh  water  Molhcsca.  1 79 

IvAMELLIBRANCHIATA. 


Genus— SPHaiRIUM. 

Spliserium  rivicola,  Iveach. 

This  species  was  not  known  to  Thompson  (15)  as  Irish,  but  Jeffreys  (8) 
records  it  from  Dublin.  Although  I  have  never  seen  an  Irish  specimen, 
I  believe,  from  descriptions  I  have  received,  that  it  occurs  in  the  Iviffey 
at  Lucan  near  Dublin. 

Fore;ign  Distribution. — England,  north  and  central  Germany, 
Austria,  Galicia,  south  Russia,  and  France. 

Splissriuni  corneum,  L. 

I.     II.     —     —    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     X.     —    XII. 

In  small  ponds  and  marshes  this  species  is  generally  distributed  in 
Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily, 
France,  and  Spain. 

Spliserium  lacustre,  Mlill. 
I.     II.    —    IV.    V.    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 


In  the  north  of  Ireland  this  species  appears  to  be  absent,  and  in  the 
south  and  east  it  is  decidedly  rare. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England,  Wales,  south  Scandinavia,  Fin- 
land, Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Italy,  Sicily,  Corsica, 
France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Algiers,  Siberia,  and  Kamschatka. 

Genus— PISIDIUM. 

Fisidium  amnicum,  Mlill. 
—    —    —    —    V.     VI.     VII.     _    —    X.     —    XII. 

All  other  species  of  the  genus  Pisidium  are  extremely  difficult  to  deter- 
mine, but  this,  owing  to  its  large  size  and  distinct  concentric  grooves,  is 
readily  recognisable.     It  has  not  been  found  in  the  south  of  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — England,  Wales,  Iceland,  south  Scandinavia, 
Finland,  Russia,  Galicia,  Austria,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily, 
France,  Algiers,  and  Siberia. 

Pisidium  globulare,  West. 

The  only  specimens  of  this  Fisidiu^i  were  taken  in  a  small  pond  in  a 
wood  near  Mullingar,  and  were  determined  by  Prof.  Boettger. 
Foreign  Distribution. — England  and  Scandinavia. 

Pisidium.  henslowianum,  Shepp. 
I.    —    —    —    V.     —    VII.     _    —    —    XI.    — 

Like  most  of  the  other  species  of  Pisidium,  this  is  found  in  stagnant  or 
slowly-moving  waters,  but  it  is  rare,  and  the  only  Irish  specimen  I  have 
seen  was  obtained  in  IDonegal  by  Mr.  R.  Patterson. 

F'oreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  Germany, 
Switzerland,  and  P'rance. 


i8o  The  Irish  Natiwalist. 

Pisidium  ijulcliellum,  Jenyns. 
T.     —     —    —    —    —    —    —    IX    —    XL     XII. 

This  handsome  species  is  generally  distributed  according  to  Thomp- 
son (15),  bnt  I  haye  as  yet  only  a  few  records. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  Scandinavia,  south  Ger- 
many, and  France. 

Pisidium  nitidiuni,  Jenyns. 
I.     —     III.     —    _    _    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    —    XII. 

This  species  occurs  chiefly  in  ponds  and  lakes  along  the  mountainous 
districts  of  the  west  and  north  of  Ireland. 

Fgrkign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Iceland,  Scandinavia,  France, 
and  south  Germany. 

Pisidium  fontinale,  C.  Pfr. 
I.     —    —     —     V.     —     VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    XI.     XII. 

This  very  variable  species  probably  includes  Thompson's  P.  cinereum.  It 
is  found  in  the  mud  of  stagnant  waters  or  slowly  moving  streams. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Austria,  Swit- 
zerland, Germany,  France,  Italy,  vSicily,  Spain,  Algiers  and  Syria. 

Pisidium  milium,  Held. 

P.  rosmui  of  Jeffreys  is  this  species.  It  seems  to  have  been  overlooked 
by  Thompson,  and  is  probably  rare  in  Ireland.  Miss  Warren  sent  me 
specimens  from  Co.  Sligo. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Russia,  Galicia, 
Austria,  Switzerland,  Germ-any,  France,  Algiers,  and  Siberia. 

Pisidium.  obtusale,  C.  Pfr. 
—    —    —    —    —    —    VII.     _     IX.     —    —    XII. 

According  to  Thompson  this  is  one  of  the  rarest  species  in  Ireland.  It 
has  not  yet  been  discovered  in  eastern  or  southern  Ireland. 

Foreign  Distribution. — North  England,  Scandinavia,  Transylvania, 
Germany,  Switzerland  and  France. 

Pisidium  pusillum,  Gmel. 
I.     II.     _     —    V.     —    VII.     VIII.     IX.     —    —     — 

This,  the  most  common  of  the  Irish  Pisidia,  is  rarely  met  with  any- 
where, except  in  marshes. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  Iceland,  south  Scandinavia, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Switzerland,  Germany.  France,  and  Siberia. 

Genus— UNIO. 
Unio  margaritifer,  L. 
I.     II.     —    IV.     V.    —    —    VIII.     IX.     X.     XI.     XII. 

This  species  differs  anatomically  so  much  from  all  other  species  of 
Unio  that  many  conchologists  put  it  under  a  separate  genus,  Margaritana. 
It  is  the  only  Irish  species  of  the  genus,  and  is  found  chiefly  in  the  moun- 
tainous districts,  l-'rom  this  shell  pearls  have  been  obtained  in  great 
quantity,  especially  in  Tyrone  antl  Conneniara. 

Foreign  Distribution, — Great  Britain,  vScandinavia,  Finland,  north 
Russia,  Bohemia,  Germany,  France,  SjDain,  Portugal,  and  Kamschatka. 


Tlic  bdsh  Land  arid  Freshwater  Molhisca.  i8i 

Genus— ANOBONTA. 
Anodonta  cygnea,  L. 
I.     —     —    —    V.     —    VII.     —     IX.     X.     —     XII. 

Many  aiithors  believe  that  all  the  European  Anodonta:  are  referable  to 
two  species,  and  that  the  Irish  A.  cygnea  is  merely  one  of  the  numerous 
forms  of  ^.  variabilis,  Drap.  ;  but  I  would  prefer  for  the  present  to  retain 
the  species  under  its  old  name.  In  many  of  the  northern  lakes  it  is  ex- 
tremely common,  and  is  said  to  be  eaten  by  the  peasantry. 

Foreign  Distribution. — Great  Britain,  south  vScandinavia,  Finland, 
Russia,  Transylvania,  Austria,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy,  Sicily, 
France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Turkestan,  Siberia,  and  Canada. 

ADDEJNDUM. 

I  unfortunately  omitted  in  my  list  of  papers  on  Irish 
Mollusca  to  refer  to  Miss  Warren's  paper  on  the  Mollusca  of 
Ma3^o  and  Sligo  {Zoologist,  1879),  and  to  Mr.  A.  G.  More's 
''Note  on  the  animal  of  Liinncea  involuta,''  {^Ann.  Mag.  Nat. 
Hist.,  4th  ser.vol.  iv.,  1869).  The  latter  contains  a  good  figure 
and  description  of  the  animal  and  shell  of  this  remarkable 
Irish  mollusc,  and  the  author  points  out  the  mistake  made  by 
some  conchologists  in  placing  it  under  the  genus  Aviphipeplea 

CORRIGENDUM. 

I  have  also  to  draw  attention  to  a  slip  in  the  records  of 
Geoinalacus  maculosus.     It  does  not  occur  in  district  II. 


THE  CHARACTERISTIC  PI.ANTS  OF  CO.  WEXFORD. 

BY  G.  K.  H.  BARRKTT-HAMILTON  AND  C.  B,  MOFFAT. 


{Concluded  from  page   1 58*) 


Wahlenbergia  hederacea,  Reich.— A  characteristic  plant  in  the  valley  of 
the  river  Urrin,  and  by  the  higher  feeders  of  the  Boro  (C.  B.  M.). 

C  All  frequent   in  upland  pastures  of  N.  W. 

Chlora  i^erfoliat;,    T  inn  ^^^  ^^^^  seems  widely  distributed  through- 

Clilora  perfoliata    Lmn.  ^^^   ^^^  county,    while  Gmtiana  campestris 

Gentiana  amarella,    „       ^       ^^ppears^he  least  plentiful,  and,  unlike  the 
Cr.  campestris,  „  ^^^^^  ^^,^^  ^^^^  not  been  recorded  as  found 

\      on  the  coast  by  Mr.  Hart. 
Erythrsea  pulchella,  Fries.— Curacloa  (QV^  Ilib.  ^w/-/.)— Near  Rosslare, 

and  on  the  Greater  Saltee  Island  (Hart). 
Convolvulus  soldanella,  Linn.— Common  on  the  south,  locally  abundant 

on  the  east  coast  (Hart). 
Cyjiog-lossum  officinale,  Linn. — Carnsore,  Caliore,  and  Rosslare  Points, 

Ballymoney,  Churchtown,  etc,  (Hart). 
Echium  vulgare,  Linn.— Frequent,  especially  on  high  ground  towards 

the  north-west. 
Myosotis  collina,  Hoffm. — Two  localities  on   east  coast,  at  Courtown 

(Hart),  and  Rosslare  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.). 


1 82  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

Orobanche  rapum,  Thuill. — Abundant  on  broom  in  parts  of  Killoughrim 
Forest  (C.  B.  M.),  and  of  occasional  occurrence  elsewhere  in  both 
north  and  south.     Sometimes  exceeds  three  feet  in  height. 

O.  hederse,  Dub}'. — On  ivy  at  Duncannon  Fort  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.). 

*0.  minor,  Linn. — Is  now  an  abundant  parasitical  weed  in  nearly  all 
clover-fields  throughout  the  district  surrounding  Ballyhyland, 
where  tall  specimens  measure  two  feet  three  inches  in  height,  and 
has  been  noticed  in  most  parts  of  the  county.  Was  first  observ-ed 
in  the  county  in  1867,  by  Miss  B.  M.  Farmer  {Cyb.  HibS),  and  in 
1872  was  described  by  Mr.  More  {ib.)  as  "scarcely  yet  established." 

Linaria  elatine,  Mill.— Near  Bannow  {Cyb.  Hib.);  Greater  Saltee  Island 
(Hart);  abundant  in  corn-fields  about  Alderton  (Miss  Glascott). 

L.  vulgaris,  Mill. — Frequent  in  north,  apparently  less  so  in  south. 

Scrophiilaria  aquatica,  Linn. — Frequent. 

Salvia  verbenaca,  Linn. — Carnsore,  Greenore,  and  Duncannon  Sands 
(Hart);  also  about  Duncannon  Fort  and  Rosslare  (G.  B.  H.  B.-H.). 

Scutellaria  minor,  Linn. — A  prevalent  species  in  most  bogs  towards  the 
north-west,  and  found  by  Miss  Glascott  in  a  marsh  on  the  Barrow. 

Stachys  arvensis,  Linn.— A  very  common  weed,  apparently  throughout 
the  whole  county, 

Fin^icula  lusitanica,  Linn. — Common  in  all  bogs  from  the  mountains 
to  Ball3'liyland,  Killoughrim,  etc.  (C.  B.  M.),  and  reaching  eastward 
to  Bnniscorthy  {Cyb.  Nib.) 

Utricularia  minor,  Linn. — Ballykelly  Bog  (Miss  Glascott). 

Anag'allis  arvensis,  Linn.,  var.  cserulea. — At  Alderton  (Miss  Glascott), 
and  Kilmanock  (G.  B.  H.  B.-H.). 

Statice  occidentalis,  Lloyd. — Baginbun  Head,  and  Hook  Head  (Hart). 

Chenopodium  ruhrum,  Linn. — Rosslare,  Raven  Point,  Saltees,  etc.  (Hart). 

Atriplex  littoralis,  Linn. — Hook  Head,  Tacumshin,  Raven  Point,  etc. 
(Hart). 

Rumex  maritimus,  Linn. — Plentiful  at  Lady's  Island  Lake  (Hart). 

R.  hydrolapathum,  Huds.  — Ballyconigar  {Cyb.  Hib.)-,  Bdermine,  Cura- 
cloa,  and  Lady's  Island  Lake  (Hart);  Fisherstown  (Miss  Glascott), 
and  Kilmanock  (G.  B.  H.  B.-H.). 

Empetrum  nigrum,  Linn. — Plentiful  on  Mount  Leinster  {Cyb.  Hib.)-, 
sparingly  near  summit  of  Blackstairs  (2,409  feet),  (C.  B.  M.). 

Euphorbia  paralias,  Linn. — Frequent  all  round  the  sandy  coast;  found 
on  the  Saltee  Islands  (Hart). 

E.  portlandica,  Linn. — Many  localities  all  round  coast,  from  nearArklow 
to  Duncannon  Fort  and  Kilmanock. 

E.  exigfua,  Linn. — A  common  corn-field  weed  in  many  if  not  all  parts  of 
the  county. 

Orchis  pyramidalis,  Linn.— Frequent  on  the  coast. 

Habenaria  viridis,  R.  Br. — Raven  Point  (Hart). 

H.  bifolia,  R.  Br. — Grows  abundantly  in  several  heathy  bogs  about  Bally- 
hyland, and  seems  more  common  throughout  the  county  than 
B.  chlormitha,  Bab. 

Ophrys  apifera,  Huds. — At  least  nine  localities,  chiefly  near  the  coast. 

Spiranthes  autumnalis,  Rich. — Frequent  about  Alderton  (Miss  Glas- 
cott); Fisherstown  and  Kilmanock,  rare  (G.  B.  H.  B.-H.). 

Epipactis  latifolia,  All. — Rare,  but  has  several  isolated  stations  along 
the  Slaney  and  its  tributaries,  the  Urrin,  Boro,  etc.  (C.  B.  M.). 

E.  palustris,  Linn. — Frequent  along  the  east  coast;  most  abundant  at 
Raven  Point  (Hart). 

AsparagTis  officinalis,  Linn.— On  the  shore  near  Wexford,  abundantly, 
and  on  sandhills  in  Ballyteigue  Bay  {Cyb.  Hib.);  "  Bar  of  the  Lough," 
between  Crossfarnogue  and  Bannow,  and  at  Bannow  Island  (Hart). 
Found  only  in  the  counties  of  Wexford  and  Waterford. 

Allium  vineale,  Linn. — Not  unfrequent  about  Alderton,  Kilmanock,  etc. 

Juncus  acutus,  Linn. — In  suitable  localities  along  the  whole  east  coast, 
but  not  on  the  south  (Hart). 


The  Characteristic  Plants  of  Co.  Wexford.  183 

Butomus  umbellatus,  Ivinn. — Found  in  a  pond  near  Bannow  by  Mrs. 

Boyce.  Not  hitherto  recorded  for  D.  4  (Cyh.  Ilib.). 
Eleocharis  unigflumis,  I^iun. — Alderton  (Miss  Glascott). 
£.  multicaulis,  Sm. — A  somewhat  prevalent  species  in  bogs  about  Bally- 

hyland,  where  it  is  commoner  than  E.  pahistris,  R.  Br.  (C.  B.  M.). 

In  the  south  at  Alderton  (Miss  Glascott). 
Scirpus    savii,    S.    and   M. — Raven   Point,   L^ady's    Island     Lake,    and 

Saltee   Island  (Hart);   Alderton  (Miss   Glascott),    and  Dunbrody 

(G.E.  H.  B.-H.) 
Carex  divisa,  Huds. — Four  stations  for  this  very  rare  sedge  have  been 

discovered  by  Miss  Glascott, — i.  By  the  New  Bridge,  Dunbrody; 

2.  By  the  Causeway,  Fishers'-town;  3.  Near  the  Pill,  Alderton;  4. 

Marshes  near  Killowen,  near  Alderton. 
C.   divulsa,    Good. — In  wood  above  Gleuwater    Bay,    Dunbrody  Park 

(G.  B.  H.  B.-H.). 
Alopecurus  agrestis,  Linn. — Is  found  by  Miss  Glascott  at  Alderton, 

"frequent  in  pastures  and  in  a  wooded  glen." 
Holcus  mollis,  Linn. — Apparently  not  uufrequent.     Reaches  1,000  feet 

on  Blackstairs  (C.  B.  M.). 
Trisetum  flavescens,   Beauv. — Alderton   (Miss   Glascott);  abundant  at 

Ballyhyland,  etc. ;  probably  frequent  (C.  B.  M.). 
Glyceria  aquatica,  Sm. — Ballyconigar,  etc.  {Cyb.  Hib.\  Hart;  many  locali- 
ties near  New  Ross. 
Sclerochloa    distans,   Bab. — Alderton  and   Ballyvarna    marshes    (Miss 

Glascott). 
restuca  uniglumis,  Sol. — Sandhills  from  Arklowto  Courtown  ( Cj'/^.  Hib.), 

and  at  Cahore  and  Rosslare  Points,  Curacloa,  etc.  (Hart). 
P.  sylvatica,  VilL— Wood  near  Newtownbarry  [Wade  Kar.,  Cyb.  Hib.). 
Elymus  arenarius,  Linn. — Curacloa  {Cyb.  Hib.);  Rosslare,  Greenore,  and 

Raven  Points  (Hart). 
Hordeum  pratense,  Huds. — Frequent  in  marshes  near  the  Barrow  (Miss 

Glascott),  and  about  Kilmanock,  etc.  (G.  E.  H.  B.-H.). 
Equisetum  nioorei,  Newman,  1853. — Sandhills  of  east  coast.     Not  met 

with  south  of  Wexford  Harbour  (Hart). 
Iiastrea  semula,  Brack. — Has  been  found  at  Dunbrody  Park,  at  Killanne 

Rectory,  and  in  Killoughrim  (C.  B.  M.). 
L.  oreopteris,  Presl. — The  prevailing  fern  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Urrin 

Valley,  and  near  Blackstairs. 
Hymenophyllum  tuiibrigfense,  Sm. — Had  lately  two  stations  near  Wex- 
ford, of  which  but  one  now  survives.     Mr.  Cuthbert  lately  records 

it  from  near  Courtown  (/.  N.  p.  168). 
H.  wilsoni,  Hook. — On  Mount  Leinster  {Cyb.  Hib.);  and  above  2,400  feet 

on  Blackstairs  (C.  B.  M.). 

No  Species  in  the  foregoing  list  is  peculiar  to  the  County 
Wexford.  Asparagus  officinalis,  however,  might  almost  be 
claimed  as  such,  as  it  appears  to  extend  no  further  from  the 
Wexford  boundary  than  to  Tramore,  on  the  adjacent  Water- 
ford  coast.  The  other  indigenous  plants  most  characteristic 
of  the  county  are  probably  Matthiola  sinuata,  Cochlcaria  anglica, 
Diotis  maritiina,  and  Carex  divisa;  while  of  non-natives  by 
far  the  most  noticeable  is  Orobanche  minor,  which  is  not  yet 
claimed  as  a  fully-naturalized  species  for  any  other  county. 
The  members  of  our  flora  referred  to  Watson's  Scottish  type 
are  Thalictrum  minus,  Empctrutn  riigrum,  Eleocharis  unighcviis, 
Festuca  sylvatica,  Elymus  a7'enarius,  and  (if  rightly  to  be  so 
classed)  Equisetiim  moorei. 


[  i84  ] 
QUARTZYTHS    AND    QUARTZ-ROCKS. 

BY   G.    H.    KIXAHAN,    M.R.I. A. 


(  Concluded  from  p.  i66.) 


Part  II.— Quartz ytks. 

As  already  suggested,  the  great  difficulties  in  connection  with 
the  quartzytes  are  to  discover  marks  and  tokens  by  which  their 
exact  terrane  can  be  determined. 

Experience  teaches  that  in  all  the  tracts  of  each  dififerent 
geological  age  there  are  certain  peculiarities  common  to  all, 
although  in  some  areas  much  more  prominent  than  in  others. 
I  have,  however,  the  audacity  to  believe  that  after  lengthened 
and  careful  field  study,  I  can  determine  in  any  special  area,  in 
the  field,  but  not  from  hand-specimens,  the  age  of  the  different 
quartzytes ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  would  be  hard  to  explain 
the  reasons  by  which  I  come  to  my  conclusions,  so  that  rarely 
have  I  been  able  to  convince  any  of  my  colleagues  that  the 
differences  between  the  different  rocks  were  quite  plain  to  me. 
The  late  Prof  Carvill  Lewis  was  able  at  once  to  see  and  ap- 
preciate the  proofs,  but  he  had  studied  in  America. 

After  the  examination  and  study  of  a  section,  I  have  sat  down 
on  a  mass  of  quartzyte,  and  stated  to  my  comrade:  "These 
quartzytes  are  thousands  of  3^ears  older  than  those,"  pointing 
to  a  cliff  a  hundred  yards  away.  I  have  lit  one  pipe,  two  pipes, 
even  six  pipes  of  tobacco,  while  he  has  been  wandering  about 
and  collecting  perfectly  uninstructive  specimens.  Of  course, 
when  he  presented  them  to  me  and  defied  me  to  point  out  the 
differences  between  them  and  the  quartzyte  I  was  sitting  on,  I 
could  not  do  so,  as  his  collection  was  made  solely  to  illustrate 
details,  not  the  masses.'  When  he  was  pointed  out  the  speciali- 
ties of  the  older  rocks,  his  reply  was,  "Oh,  I  will  show  the 
same  in  your  newer  rocks!"  This,  of  course,  after  repeated 
attempts  he  failed  to  do.  The  above  describes  what  takes 
place  when  in  the  field  with  those  geologists  who  would 
make  the  rocks  suit  their  preconceived  ideas,  instead  of 
their  conclusions  being  founded  on  what  the  rocks  prove. 
Such  geologists  have,  however,  this  excuse — it  is  no  child's 
play  to  give  definitions  by  which  one  quartzj^te  can  be  dis- 
tinguished from  another,  as  is  illustrated  b}^  the  long  time  it 
has  taken  to  disentangle  the  geology  of  the  Great  I^akes  Dis- 
trict in  the  United  States  and  the  Dominion  in  America. 

In  this  area,  for  years,  the  Potsdam  Sandstone,  and  the  con- 
formably underlying  quartzytes,  were  supposed  all  to  belong 


^  Since  the  above  was  written,  Prof.  Winchell  in  his  preHminary  report 
on  the  ancient  rocks  of  Minnesota  draws  attention  to  the  difference 
between  the  study  of  rocks  "in  masses"  and  "in  detail." 


Quartzytes  a7id  Quartz-Rocks.  185 

to  one  group,  the  difference  in  aspect  being  supposed  to  be 
solely  due  to  local  circumstances.  Logan,  however,  showed 
that  there  must  be  a  considerable  difference  in  age  between 
the  Potsdam  and  the  underl^dng  Huronian  quartzytes  at  St. 
Marie  River,  while  since  then,  Irvine,  Van  Hise,  Lawson, 
and  others,  have  traced  out  profound  unconformabilities  which 
prove  that  quartzytes,  formerly  supposed  to  be  all  portions  of 
the  Potsdam,  may  belong  to  strata  on  different  geological 
horizons,  and  also  to  distinct  terranes. 

In  Central  Wisconsin,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Baraboo,  the 
Potsdams  seem  to  lie  horizontally  on  the  Huronian  quartzytes, 
but  seventy-five  miles  to  the  north,  near  Stevens,  they  cap 
Laurentian  quartzyte  and  gneiss.  More  often  than  not,  the 
Potsdams  appear  to  lie  conformably  on  the  Huronian  quart- 
zytes and  the  older  Laurentians,  but  when  worked  out  it  is 
not  so,  as  pointed  out  by  R.  D.  Irvine  in  his  exhaustive 
report  on  the  "  Early  Cambrian  and  Pre-Cambrian  Forma- 
tions of  the  Lake  Superior  Regions." 

To  give  all  that  can  be  learned  from  the  results  of  the  work 
in  the  Lake  Superior  regions,  would  occupy  too  much  space ; 
we  will  therefore  only  refer  to  the  Marquette  and  Meno- 
minee sections,  as  in  these  regions  are  exhibited  the  pheno- 
menon that  the  ofiicers  of  the  staff  of  the  Geological  Survey 
of  Ireland  are  far  from  realising.  In  both  of  these  regions 
(ibid.  pp.  434  et  seq.^,  the  newer  terranes  and  the  associated 
older  schist  series  have,  by  excessive  thrusting  from  the  south- 
west, been  so  sharply  folded  up,  that  now  the  newer  strata 
occur  as  long,  narrow,  lenticular  tracts,  with  a  nearly  identical 
strike  to  that  of  the  older  rocks,  and  apparently  with  similar 
dips.  Mining  operations  have,  however,  proved  the  latter  ap- 
pearance to  be  erroneous.' 

The  distinctions  between  the  old  and  later  rocks  are,  firstly, 
in  places  the  lower  beds  of  the  latter  are  coiiglomeratic,  containing 
pebbles  of  the  older  rocks.  This,  however,  is  a  proof  that  can  be 
easily  misconceived,  as  there  are  various  ways  to  account  for 
the  presence  of  the  pebbles,  as  illustrated  in  the  writings  of 
the  early  American  investigators  and  the  theories  ot  the 
British  geologists.  Secondly,  as  a  general  rule,  the  olde?  rocks 
are  more  schistose  thaji  the  later  o?ies.  This,  however,  is  also 
an  unsatisfactory  proof,  because  at  places  in  the  latter,  such 
as  at  an  acute  end  of  a  fold,  also  adjoining  up  thrust  planes, 
the  schistosity  may  be  excessive.  Thirdly,  in  the  older  rocks, 
there  are  granyte  and  other  intrusive  rock-veins,  also  fault  lines, 
that  come  up  to  but  never  extend  beyond  the  boundary  of  the  newer 
rocks.  These  are  to  me  uncontestable  proofs  of  an  uncon- 
formabilit}^,  yet  there  are  eminent  English  and  Scotch  geolo- 
gists who  seem  to  ignore  such  evidence. 

The  ignorance  of  geologists   as  to  all  unconformabilities, 

*  A  home  example  is  the  "stage-lode,"  Bonmalion,  Co.  Waterford, — 
"Geology  of  Ireland,"  p.   28. 


1 86  The  Irish  Nahtralist. 

except  those  called  "true  unconformability"  by  Indne,  seems 
to  be  the  reason  wh}^  this  observer  has  in  his  report  (pp.  390 
et  seq.),  taken  such  pains  to  explain  and  illustrate  the  different 
types  of  unconformability.  This  treatise  of  his  might  most 
advantageously  be  studied  and  adopted  by  some  British  geolo- 
gists, as  pointed  out  in  m}''  paper,  "A  New  Reading  of  the 
Donegal  Rocks.'"  Some  of  Irvine's  and  Van  Hise's  descrip- 
tions of  "cases  in  which  the  overlying  strata  are  folded," 
might  have  been  written  to  describe  sections  in  Donegal. 

The  Donegal  rocks  have  been  very  fully  explained  in  my 
paper  just  now  referred  to.  It  is  therefore  only  now  neces- 
sary to  give  short  general  descriptions,  and  refer  to  some  of 
the  errors  in  the  since-published  Explanatory  Memoir  of 
Sheets  3,  etc.  The  editors  of  this  memoir  state  that  my 
opinions  are  not  agreed  to  by  any  of  the  other  surveyors. 
This,  in  part,  is  incorrect,  as  at  least  one  of  the  surveyors  did 
agree  with  me. 

The  quartzytes  of  Donegal  are  more  jumbled  up  than  those 
elsewhere  in  Ireland.  In  this  county  and  the  adjoining  por- 
tions of  Derry,  Tyrone,  and  Fermanagh,  there  are,  at  least, 
three  distinct  terranes.  The  upper,  as  in  previous  writings 
suggested,  is  probably  the  equivalent  of  the  slate  series  (Upper 
Ordovicians)  of  Munster;  the  irregular  subordinate  fine  con- 
glomerates, like  the  muUaghsawnytes,^  being  very  charac- 
teristic of  this  series. 3  The  middle  terrane  I  have  suggested 
to  be  probably  the  equivalent  of  the  lower  Ordovician  (Cara- 
doc  sandstone  and  lylandeilo).  At  its  base  there  are  massive 
quartz3^tes:  the  rocks  on  which  so  much  difference  of  opinion 
has  arisen.  Evidently  the  rocks  of  the  lower  terrane  (Kil- 
macrenans)  had  received  rough  treatment  prior  to  those  of 
the  second  terrane  having  been  deposited  on  and  against 
them,  as  they  had  been  invaded  by  intrudes  of  granytes  and 
other  intrusive  rocks;  also  they  had  been  distorted  by  up- 
thrusts  and  other  convulsions,  while  subsequently  they  had 
been  considerably  denuded.  That  the  rocks  of  the  middle  ter- 
rane must  be  more  recent  than  those  of  the  lower,  is  ocularly 
demonstrated,  as  the  younger  rocks  lie  across  the  foldings  in 
the  older,  as  is  conspicuously  illustrated  in  the  escarpment 
between  Eough  Finn  and  Glenties. 

At  Knockanteenbeg^  the  section  "shows  the  necessary  irre- 
gularity in  the  strati  graphical  distribution  of  a  basal  con- 
glomerate  at   the  junction    of    two  discordant   formations. "^ 

1  Sci.  Pro.  R.  Dublin  Soc.  1890. 

^  Mullaghsawnyte  is  a  fine  conglomeratic  rock,  characteristic  of  the 
upper  terrane  in  Donegal,  and  largely  developed  in  the  ridge  of  MuUagh- 
sawn,  whence  the  name,  invented  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Bgan. 

3  "Geolog}'"  and  "Economic  Geology  of  Ireland." 

*  A  precis  of  the  eliminated  description  of  the  rocks  of  the  Knockan- 
teenbeg  and  Gartan  districts,  also  the  transverse  and  vertical  sections, 
will  be  found  in  the  paper,  ^" A  New  Reading  of  the  Donegal  Rocks." 

5  Irvine's  "Memoir,"  p.  398,  and  Diagram  Fig.  73. 


Quartzytes  and  Qicartz- Rocks.  187 

In  connection  with  the  Knockanteenbeg  conglomerates,  all 
the  inlying  fragments  are  similar  to  rocks  in  the  associated 
underlying  Kilmacrenans  (probablj^  equivalents  of  one  of  the 
sub-groups  of  the  Algonkians  of  the  United  States,  or  the 
Ontarians  of  Canada)  yet  we  are  asked  to  believe  that  they 
were  brought  b}^  ice  from  districts  hundreds  of  miles  away. 
Furthermore,  our  credulity  is  put  to  a  still  more  severe  test, 
as  we  are  asked  to  believe  these  basal  conglomeratic  beds  to  be 
identical  with  the  boulder-bed  of  the  south-west  and  central 
Highlands  of  Scotland.  To  this  so-called  boulder-bed,  my 
special  attention  was  directed  by  Messrs.  Home  and  Grant- 
Wilson,  the  latter  sending  me  specimens,  and  there  is  not  one 
iota  of  semblance  between  the  two,  the  Scotch  "boulder-bed" 
being  identical  in  aspect  with  the  mullaghsawnyte  of  the 
upper  terrane  in  Co.  Donegal,  as  was  allowed  by  all  the  members 
of  the  Irish  staff  who  visited  Perthshire  with  Mr.  Grant- 
Wilson. 

The  facts  that  prove  that  the  geology  of  the  Co.  Donegal  is 
still  in  its  infancy  have  been  so  fully  stated  in  "A  New  Read- 
ing of  the  Donegal  Rocks,"  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat 
them,  I  will  therefore  conclude  with  the  following  remarks. 

In  his  prefatory"  note  to  Explanation  of  Sheets  3,  etc.,  Sir  A. 
Geikie  makes  a  curious  suggestion.  Years  ago,  Griffith  mapped 
the  rocks  of  the  Slieve  Gullion  area  as  belonging  to  a  much  older 
terrane  than  the  rocks  to  the  northward,  while  subsequently 
I  pointed  out  that  these  rocks  to  the  south-west  again  ap- 
peared from  under  the  Carboniferous  in  the  country  between 
Pettigeo  and  Ballyshannon.  The  latter  conclusion  was  come 
to  from  personal  inspection  and  information  supplied  by 
R.  G.  Symes.  These  ancient  rocks  formed  a  mountain  in  the 
Carboniferous  sea,  and,  consequentl}^,  as  explained  in  the 
"Geology"  and  "Economic  Geology  of  Ireland,"  the  Car- 
boniferous rocks  lying  on  them  belong  to  different  stages  in 
that  terrane.  Similarly,  in  more  ancient  times,  this  ridge 
was  a  mountain  in  the  more  ancient  (Ordovician?)sea.  As  in 
the  Carboniferous  age,  so  also  in  the  much  more  ancient  seas, 
there  may  have  been,  or,  rather  there  were,  overlaps,  the 
lowest  strata  being  deposited  in  the  county  to  the  north,  while 
the  newer  strata  overlapped  one  another  on  the  northern 
flanks  of  this  ancient  ridge  of  hills.  This  is  ocularl}'  proved. 
In  the  basal  quartzyte  of  the  middle  terrane  the  fragments 
are  of  the  typical  Donegal  rocks ;  but,  as  time  went  on,  the 
mullaghsawnytes  of  the  upper  terrane  accumulated;  they  for 
the  most  part  being  solely  composed  of  fragments  from  this 
ridge,  apparently  principally  from  the  granitic  rocks  in  the 
Pomeroy  Hills.  Sir  A.  Geikie  seems  to  consider  he  has  dis- 
covered this  "core  of  old  rocks,"  and,  because  it  exists,  that 
the  oldest  Donegal  rocks  must  be  "on  the  northern  flanks," 
the  evident  sources  of  the  fragments  in  the  different  accumu- 
lations.    A  conspicuous  character  of  the  Irish  terranes  is  the 


1 88  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

frequency  with  which  the  later  rocks  have  been  deposited 
against  cliffs  and  hills  of  the  older  ones.  In  the  Co.  Donegal, 
and  neighbouring  portions  of  I^ondonderry  and  T>Tone,  future 
explorers  will  have  to  allow  that  the  younger  rocks  in  places 
were  accumulated  against  cliffs  and  hills  of  the  older;  this  is 
conspicuous  at  Knockanteenbeg;  the  description  and  section 
of  it  are,  however,  omitted  from  the  memoir.  My  con- 
clusions are  controverted,  and  will  be  controverted,  until  the 
results  of  inversions  due  to  over-thrusting  are  full}^  studied 
and  understood.  In  this  area  there  were  at  least  three  dis- 
tinct times  of  over- thrusting : — first,  an  over- thrusting  of  the 
Kilmacrennans ;  second,  an  over- thrusting  of  the  rocks  in  the 
middle  terrane;  and  third,  an  over-thrusting  of  the  rocks  of 
the  upper  terrane.  The  latter  is  very  conspicuous  in  Innish- 
owen,  when  the  rocks  of  the  middle  and  lower  terranes  suffered 
very  little  in  comparison. 

In  the  Carrick  mountain,  Wicklow,  and  in  South  Wexford  it 
is  conspicuously  seen  that  the  Ordovicians  were  accumulated 
against  cliffs  of  the  Oldhamians  (Algonkians?)  In  the  diffe- 
rent basins  of  Silurians  there  are  ocular  proofs  of  cliff  and 
hill-margins,  while  the  Carboniferous  sea  was  more  or  less  an 
archipelago,  the  islands  of  older  rocks  being  numerous  in  the 
area. 

Sir  A.  Geikie  also  ignores  the  adjuncts  of  the  different  ter- 
ranes. Years  ago  it  was  pointed  out  by  David  Forbes  that  each 
has  its  specific  accompaniments,  which  law  laid  down  by  him 
has  been  confirmed  by  all  subsequent  investigators.  Each  ter- 
rane has  as  adjuncts  its  special  traps,  occurring  either  as  beds 
or  protrudes ;  these  will  not  be  found  in  a  newer  terrane,  and 
if  in  an  older  they  occur,  not  as  an  adjunct  but  as  an  intrude, 
and,  in  general,  of  a  more  or  less  granitic  nature.  These  special 
adjuncts  of  the  different  terranes  in  the  Co.  Donegal  are  very 
constant,  assisting  considerably  to  prove  their  respective 
ages.  It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  what  they  are,  as  they 
are  specially  described  in  my  previous  paper. 


NOTICE. 

A  series  of  papers  on  "The  Earthworms  of  Ireland,"  will  be 
commenced  in  the  January  number  of  the  Irish  Natiu^alist,  by 
Rev.  H11.DERIC  Friend,  F.L.S.,  of  Idle,  Bradford,  Yorkshire. 

Mr.  Friend  will  be  grateful  for  worms  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  They  should  be  sent  alive  in  damp  earth  or  moss,  in 
metal  boxes.  Packages  should  be  marked  "Natural  History 
Specimens." 


[  i89  ] 
SOME  BEETLES  FROM  THE  DUBLIN  DISTRICT. 

BY  J.  M.  BROWNE,  B.A. 
(Read  before  the  Dublin  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  gtli  Feb.,  1892.) 


Dubinin  boasts  a  record  of  between  six  and  seven  hundred 
species  of  coleopterous  insects  out  of  a  total  of  over  three 
thousand  two  hundred  British  species,  so  that  we  have  ground 
for  hope  that  not  nearly  the  full  number  has  been  placed 
upon  our  list.  As  regards  entomolog}^,  our  district  has  a 
number  of  circumstances  in  its  favour  which  do  not  belong  to 
all  hunting-grounds.  To  begin  with,  it  has  a  considerable 
stretch  of  coast,  giving  opportunities  for  the  capture  of  mari- 
time insects,  many  of  which  never  venture  any  distance  inland. 
Besides  this  very  solid  advantage,  our  district  has  a  varied 
surface  area  of  mountain,  hill,  and  plain,  and  in  the  Wicklow 
portion  we  have  lake  country.  During  the  past  three  or  four 
years  a  number  of  beetles  have  come  under  my  notice,  which 
have  hitherto  been  unrecorded  for  Dublin,  and  in  one  or  two 
instances  for  Ireland  perhaps,  the  said  instances  being 
attended  with  considerable  interest.  Before  taking  up  these 
insects,  however,  I  would  like  to  glance  at  the  family  of  beetles 
which  stands  at  the  head  of  the  coleoptera — the  CiciiidelidcB  or 
Tiger-beetles  as  they  are  commonly  called.  This  most  mag- 
nificent division  is  characterised  by  the  beauty  of  colouring  of 
its  species,  which  flash  with  the  most  exquisite  tints,  blended 
with  a  harmony  only  equalled  by  their  richness,  by  the  swift- 
ness of  movement  either  on  the  wing  or  on  the  earth,  and  by 
the  ferocity  and  carnivorous  habits  of  its  members,  all  which 
characters  have  gained  for  them  the  name  of  Tiger-beetles. 
The  typical  genus,  Cicindcla,  which  comprises  several  hundreds 
of  species,  is  the  largest  of  any  in  the  family,  and  its  members 
are  very  numerous  in  the  hottest  parts  of  the  globe,  but 
decrease  rapidly  in  number  as  we  travel  from  the  equator. 
Four  species  are  inhabitants  of  England,  whilst  we  in  Ireland 
have  but  one,  the  Green  Sparkler  Beetle,  Cicindcla  cainpcstris, 
which  is  found  in  sandy  places  near  the  Dublin  coast.  As  the 
CicindclidcB  love  the  warmth  and  dryness  of  tropical  climes,  so 
much  do  they  detest  the  farmer,  and  fly  before  the  advance  of 
cultivators  of  the  soil.  The  strength  of  our  species — like  that 
of  its  relatives  — is  very  great,  and  I  have  held  a  specimen  in 
mid-air  by  its  body  whilst  it  held  in  its  jaws  a  glove  many 
times  its  own  weight. 

The  family  of  the  Carabidcs  comes  next  in  order  of  precedence 
to  the  "Tigers,"  and  is  a  large  and  brilliant  group,  almost  all 
its  members  being  carnivorous,  and  living  upon  snails,  spiders, 
and  smaller  insects.  Up  till  last  year  a  widely-spread  species 
of  this  family  had  no  place  upon  our  list,  and  it  was  remark- 
able that  so  important  an  insect  should  have  been  unrecorded 


1 90  The  Irish  Nahwalist. 

from  Dublin.  In  the  May  of  last  year,  however,  I  took  a 
specimen  from  under  a  large  stone  in  a  pine  wood  on  Killakee 
mountain,  which  is  a  very  likely  locality,  as  the  species  is 
mostly  found  in  or  near  woods,  and  usually  under  large  stones. 
It  is  widely  spread  and  not  uncommon,  but  many  specimens 
are  apparentl}^  never  found  in  any  one  spot.  When  taken  this 
insect  makes  a  creaking  noise  by  rubbing  its  elytra  against 
its  abdomen  ;  its  scientific  title  is  Cychrus  rostratus,  and  it 
feeds  upon  molluscs.  We  next  come  to  the  genus  Carabiis,  of 
which  six  species  are  natives  of  Dublin ;  no  new  insect  has 
been  added  to  these  of  late,  but  three  of  the  recorded  ones  of 
some  interest  were  taken  last  year  by  Mr.  Gore  Cuthbert.  Of 
these  two  are  of  considerable  importance,  being  very  local 
insects — they  are  C.  glabrahts  and  C.  clathraUts,  the  former 
having  been  found  on  the  Dublin  mountains,  the  latter  during 
the  excursion  of  the  Club  to  Callary.  Dr.  Scharff  added 
Elaphrus  cupreus  to  our  list,  having  taken  it  at  Woodlands, 
I^ucan,  in  1888 ;  since  then  it  has  been  found  in  Wicklow  by 
Mr.  Cuthbert.  This  is  an  interesting  insect,  for  it  and  its 
congeners  show  an  apparent  approach,  as  regards  form  and 
rapidity  of  movement,  to  the  Cicmdelidoe.  This  species  is 
widel}^  distributed,  and  inhabits  moist  and  marshy  places,  and 
the  banks  of  lakes  and  ponds.  Half  sunken  bogs  in  these 
spots  are  likely  places  to  search  for  the  insect. 

We  now  pass  on  to  a  group  of  beetles  known  as  the 
Necrophaga,  this  name  being  given  them  from  the  habit  they 
have  of  feeding  on  dead  carcases.  A  fine  representative  of  the 
burying-beetles  is  added  to  our  list  by  Mr.  Cuthbert.  This  is 
Necjvdes  littoralis,  which  along  with  other  species  has  the  habit 
of  laying  its  eggs  in  carrion.  The  Neavphori,  a  genus  closely 
allied,  have  the  same  habits,  and  sink  pits  into  the  earth  in 
which  the  carcase  is  placed,  then  the  insects  deposit  their  eggs 
in  it,  cover  it  up,  and  depart.  These  beetles  are  very  expert 
workers,  and  in  a  few  hours  will  sink  a  small  animal's  body, 
such  as  a  rat  or  bird,  underground,  in  this  manner  rendering 
its  decay  more  slow  and  allowing  time  for  the  young  larv^se  to 
fatten  upon  its  substance. 

Going  on  we  come  to  the  Cockchafers,  two  species  of  which 
inhabit  Dublin,  of  which  Mclolontha  hippocastajii  would  appear 
the  more  common  insect.  The  nut-trees  at  Poul-a-Phouca 
were  attacked  by  this  beetle  in  the  summer  of  1890,  a  fine 
specimen  tumbling  into  my  net  whilst  sweeping  during  the 
excursion  of  the  Club  to  that  place  in  that  3^ear.  Another  in- 
teresting chafer  found  in  the  district  is  Serica  brunnea,  a  stout- 
bodied  long-legged  beetle  covered  with  a  silken  down,  found 
in  tree-stumps  and  heaps  of  wood-dust  found  in  such  places. 
Five  species  of  Geotnipes  or  ''tumble-bugs"  are  found  in  Dublin. 
These  are  the  fine  stout  black  ''  clocks"  that  fly  about  at  dusk 
and  often  come  whizzing  into  peoples'  faces  in  their  unwieldy 
flight.     The  rarest  of  these  insects  in  Dublin  is  perhaps   G, 


Some  Beetles  from  the  Dublin  District.  191 

typhceus,  which  is  said  to  be  common  in  Wicklow — though  in 
my  experience  and  from  what  I  hear,  it  appears  to  be  rare 
enough.  I  possess  one  specimen — a  female — which  was  found 
dead  at  Howth.  The  males  of  this  species  have  two  long 
horns  on  the  front  of  the  thorax,  projecting  on  each  side  of 
the  head.  The  beautiful  rose-beetles  are  unrepresented  on 
our  Dublin  catalogue  as  yet,  and,  as  far  as  I  can  hear,  are  not 
very  common  in  Ireland  generallj^ 

Among  the  Elateridce  we  possess  an  interesting  species, 
Corymbites  C7ip7'eus.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  the 
British  ''skipjacks"  or  click-beetles,  and  inhabits  the  blades  of 
long  grass.  This  creature,  in  common  with  its  relatives,  has 
the  habit  of  shamming  death,  and  dropping  to  the  earth  when 
disturbed.  If  it  falls  on  its  back  it  has  a  ready  method  of 
righting  itself  again,  for  by  a  sharp  movement  of  its  thorax 
it  can  spring  into  the  air  to  a  height  of  some  inches  and 
usually  lands  in  proper  position.  In  this  operation  the  insect 
makes  a  clicking  noise,  whence  its  second  popular  name. 
Fourteen  species  of  this  group  are  taken  in  this  part  of  Ireland. 

Of  the  Telephoridoe  we  have  an  interesting  species  added  to 
our  list  during  the  summer  of  189 1.  The  name  of  the  species 
is  Dolichosoma  iiobile;  it  was  found  near  Wicklow  during  the 
June  excursion  of  the  Club,  and  was  pointed  out  to  me  b}^  Mr. 
W.  De  V.  Kane  on  the  flowers  of  Coniolvuli,  near  the  sea  coast. 
This  is  a  maritime  or  semi-maritime  species,  and  is  limited 
to  certain  parts  of  England  having  a  liking  to  the  Convolvuli. 
Mr.  Cuthbert  and  I  took  it  in  numbers  at  this  place  in  Wicklow, 
and  I  have  since  found  it  on  the  North  Bull  on  the  flowers  of 
Dandelion. 

Dr.  Scharff  was  very  successful  in  captures  of  the  renowned 
Mesites  tardii  last  summer,  having  taken  the  insect  in  all  its 
stages  in  Co.  Wicklow.  Mr.  Cuthbert  has  I  believe  found  it 
near  Dublin. 

Several  new  species  have  been  added  to  the  Chrysomelidoe, 
one  at  least  being  of  importance.  Two  of  these  come  from 
Poul-a-Phouca  and  were  taken  during  the  excursion  in  1890. 
The  first  is  Gonioctena  pallida,  and  is  I  believe  new  to  Ireland. 
It  was  first  taken  by  Mr.  Sydney  Cary,  and  abounded  on  the 
bushes,  nut  trees,  ete.  at  that  place.  The  other  is  Phratora 
vulgatissima,  a  widely  distributed  beetle,  but  hitherto  not 
recorded.  Both  w^ere  taken  near  the  banks  of  the  river,  and 
Gonioctena  occurred  in  large  numbers.  The  banks  of  rivers 
when  well  covered  with  herbage  and  bushes  are  amongst  the 
best  places  to  search  for  beetles,  and  with  regard  to  Poul-a- 
Phouca,  I  believe,  if  it  were  better  worked,  it  would  give  a  rich 
harvest.  Mr.  Cuthbert  adds  another  good  insect  to  our  last, 
namely,  Gastrophysa  polygon!,  a  pretty  little  beetle  with  red 
thorax  and  blue  wing-cases.  Two  vSpecies  of  this  genus  in- 
habit Britain,  the  second  being  G.  raphani,  which  is  of  a  bright 
golden  green  colour.  The  remaining  Chrysomelidcc  added  are 
Phyllotreta  punctnla,  and  Phoedon  tumidiUum. 


192  ^he  Irish  Naturalist. 

The  next  group  is  the  CoccijielidcB  or  Lad3^-Birds,  and  three 
at  least  are  added  to  the  number  of  recorded  species.  These 
are  Coccinella  oblongoguttata,  taken  in  1889  by  me,  lying  crushed 
on  the  footpath  in  Upper  lyceson-street.  The  next  is  C.  XXII — 
punctata,  a  pretty  little  j^ellow  species  with  black  spots  on  it, 
first  found  by  Dr.  Will  when  over  here  in  1888,  at  Lucan,  and 
since  then  I  have  received  a  number  from  Mr.  Frank  Neale, 
who  took  it  largely  at  Portmarnock.  The  third  species  is  C. 
ocellata,  which  was  first  taken  by  my  brother  at  Glen  Dhu,  in 
1888. 

The  next  species  is  Pogonochcerus  bidentatus,  a  member  of 
the  Longico7nia,  and  the  genus  to  which  it  belongs  is  already 
represented  in  the  district.  The  above  specimen  was  found 
by  me  in  Mr.  I^atouche's  demesne,  in  the  Glen  of  the  Downs, 
having  been  dug  out  of  a  dead  branch  which  snapped  off  in  my 
hand,  and  the  point  of  breakage  showed  the  beetle  projecting. 
It  is  incomplete,  the  head  and  thorax  being  destroyed,  but  one 
of  the  distinguishing  points  is  seen  in  the  shape  of  the  ends  of 
the  elj^tra  or  wing-cases,  so  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in 
determining  the  species.  This  specimen  was  taken  in  June, 
1888. 

The  Dublin  list  of  Eynchophora  or  Weevils,  completed  some 
years  ago  by  the  late  Professor  MacNab,  contains  41  genera 
and  103  species.  Mr.  Cuthbert  made  several  additions  to  it 
during  last  summer,  notohXy  Dory tomzis  maculatus,  Anthonomus 
pcdic2ilarius,  Nanophycs  lythri,  and  Barypeithes  sulcifro7is. 

A  number  of  species  in  my  collection  yet  await  fuller  inves- 
tigation than  hitherto  I  have  been  able  to  give  them,  and  it  is 
probable  something  new  ma}^  be  amongst  them.  Several  of 
the  most  t^^pical  British  beetles  are  entirely  unknown  in 
Ireland,  and  it  yet  remains  to  be  proved  whether  an}^  of  these 
species  are  to  be  added  to  our  catalogue.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  much  in  the  way  of  investigation  ma}^  be  done,  and 
many  interesting  additions  made  to  the  roll  of  the  Dublin 
Coleoptera. 


PLANORBIS  RIPARIUS,  WEST. ;  AN  ADDITION  TO 

THE  BRITISH  FAUNA 

BY  J.    N.    MII,NE. 


With  some  other  shells,  I  recently  sent  to  Dr.  R.  F.  Scharff 
specimens  of  a  small  Planorbis,  which  I  got  living  at  Inch, 
near  the  shore  of  Lough  Swilly.  He  pronounces  it  to  be 
Planorbis  ripainus  of  Westerlund — a  species  new  to  the  British 
Isles,  but  recorded  from  Northern  German}^  Sweden,  and 
Siberia. 


I    193  ] 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    IRISH  SOCIETIES. 


ROYAI,  ZOOI^OGICAI,  SOCIETY. 

Recent  donations  comprise  a  monkey  from  Hon.  B.  J.  Plunket;  a 
Badger  from  R.  T.Woods,  Esq.;  a  Barn-Owl  from  Rev.  N.  Murphy;  a 
Sparrow  Hawk  from  Sergeant  Parry;  and  a  Russian  Rabbit  from  S.  Clarke, 
Esq.  The  Lord  Lieutenant  visited  the  gardens  on  the  26th  October,  and 
received  an  address  from  the  Council. 

7,300  persons  visited  the  gardens  in  October. 


DUBININ    MICROSCOPICAI,  CI.UB. 

October  20Th.  The  club  met  at  Dr.  J.  A.  Scott's,  who,  with  Dr 
Frazer,  expressed  the  grief  of  the  members  at  the  death  of  Mr.  G.  Porte, 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Society. 

Dr.  Scott  showed  sections  taken  from  a  case  of  actinomycosis  which 
was  observed  in  the  lower  jaw  of  a  cow,  by  Sir  Charles  Cameron  in  the 
Dublin  abbatoir.  These  sections,  which  were  stained  by  Gram's  method 
with  gentian  violet,  showed  both  the  "  mycelial"  and  "club"  forms  of  the 
micro-fungus,  and  left  no  doubt  as  to  the  true  character  of  the  disease. 
Although  this  disease  of  the  domestic  animals  is  very  common  in  England 
and  Scotland,  and  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  hitherto  no  case  has  been 
recorded  from  Ireland.  A  dried  specimen  of  bone  disease  in  the  lower  jaw 
of  a  horse,  showing  the  characteristic  lesion  produced  in  the  bones  when 
affected  by  actinomycosis,  is  preserved  in  the  Museum  of  the  Royal 
College  of  Surgeons  in  Ireland,  but  no  history  whatever  is  attached  to 
the  specimen,  which  has  been  for  a  long  time  in  the  museum.  Dr.  Scott 
has  been  informed  by  Sir  Charles  Cameron,  that  he,  on  a  couple  of 
occasions,  observed  similar  cases,  but  they  were  not  subjected  to  micro- 
scopical examination. 

Dr.  McWeeney  showed  sections  of  the  intestine  of  a  rabbit  affected  with 
psorospermosis.  In  the  interior  epithelial  cells  of  the  mucous  mem- 
brane, the  various  stages  of  development  of  this  intracellular  protozoan 
parasite  could  be  distinctly  traced.  Dr.  McWeeney  gave  a  brief  account 
of  the  life-history  of  this  species,  named  by  Leuckart  Coccidiuvi  perforans, 
now  recognized,  however,  as  identical  with  C.  ovifonne,  commonly  found 
in  the  liver  of  rabbits,  and  pointed  out  the  great  interest  possessed  by 
these  intracellular  parasites  in  view  of  the  growing  probability  that  such 
organisms  play  an  important  part  in  the  causation  of  cancer. 

Prof.  A.  C.  Haddon  showed  spicules  of  an  unknown  species  of  sponge, 
with  remarkable  creeping  habit,  found  on  a  shell  from  Dublin  Bay. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Carpenter  showed  the  terminal  joints  of  the  false  leg  of  a 
p3'cnogon,  Nv'nphon  galliaini,  Hoek,  from  the  west  coast  of  Ireland. 

Prof.  Cole  showed  sections  from  a  block  of  limestone  from  near  Tuam, 
containing  Hemitrypa  hibernica,  supporting  his  contention  that  the  two 
layers  are  organically  connected,  and  that  the  outer  one  is  not  due  to  a 
parasite. 

Mr.  W.  N.  Allen  showed  drawings  of  Cephalozia  francisci,  a  liverwort  found 
by  Mr.  McArdle  at  Howth. 

Mr.  J.  E.  Duerden  exhibited  Plumidaria  haleciodes,  Alder  a  hydroid  new 
to  Ireland.  A  small  colony  was  found  growing  on  Stenorhynchus.  It  was 
obtained  by  the  Dredging  Committee  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  in 
1885  from  Berehaven. 

BEIvFAST  NATURAIv   HISTORY  AND   PHII,OSOPHICAI,  SOCIETY. 

November  iST.  The  President,  Prof.  M.  F.  Fitzgerald  in  the  chair. 
Mr.  John  H.  Greenhill,  Mus.  Bac,  read  a  paper  entitled  "The  Subject 
of  Electric  Lighting,"  illustrated  by  experiments. 


194  ^^^  Irish  Naturalist. 

BEI/FAST  NATURAWSTS'   FIEI^D   CI.UB. 

October  28th.  The  Winter  Session  was  opened  by  a  social  meeting 
in  the  Exhibition  Hall,  at  which  the  attendance  of  members  and  ^dsitors 
was  nearly  600.  A  large  variety  of  exhibits  was  on  view,  of  which  some 
of  the  more  interesting  were  a  large  collection  of  drawings,  engravings, 
etc.,  illustrative  of  the  histor}- and  progress  of  Belfast;  the  Club's  new 
photographic  albums,  in  connection  with  their  archaeological  survey  of 
Ulster,  in  which  were  over  300  platinot3'e  photographs  of  Irish  antiquities; 
photographs  taken  by  members  on  last  sea.son's  excursions;  collections 
for  which  Club's  prizes  were  awarded  last  year,  including  beetles  (Rev. 
W.  F.  Johnson);  Carboniferous  fossils  and  geological  sketches  (Miss  S.  M. 
Thompson) ;  geological  photographs  (Miss  Tate) ;  and  microscopic  slides 
(H.  McCleery);  ferns,  British  and  exotic,  were  shown  by  W.  H.  Phillips, 
F-R.H.S.,  and  Charles  McKimm ;  recent  additions  to  the  flora  of  the 
north-east  of  Ireland,  and  rare  plants  of  Co.  Armagh,  by  R.  Lloyd  Praeger, 
M.R.I.A. ;  and  a  fine  collection  of  geodes  from  Iowa,  U.S.A.,  obtained 
by  W.  E.  Praeger.  A  number  of  members  were  also  in  attendance  with 
their  microscopes,  and  during  the  course  of  the  evening  there  was  a 
lantern  display. 


NOTES. 


BOTANY. 


UUSCI, 

Some  Mosses  and  Hepatic^  of  the  Ben  Bui^ben  District.  It 
may  be  interesting  to  give  notes  of  some  of  the  rarest  species  of  Mosses 
and  Hepaticae  which  I  collected  last  summer  during  a  short  excursion 
with  the  Belfast  Field  Club  to  the  district.  The  following  species  were 
found  at  Bundoran: — DUrichu7n  flexicaule  (Schleich.)  Hampe;  Mollia  cris- 
pula  (Bruch.)  Lindb. ;  and  Mollia  verticillata  (E.)  Eindb.  On  the  south-east 
slope  of  Ben  Bulben  I  found  Scapania  curta  Mart.,  and  Leptodontium  Jlexi- 
folium  (Dicks.)  Hampe,  growing  abundantly  on  dr}'  peat}'  banks.  The 
latter  may  easily  be  recognised  in  the  field  by  its  reddish-yellow  colour, 
and  leaves  crisped  when  dry.  Dr.  INIoore  records,  but  wntli  some  doubt, 
two  stations  for  this  plant — Cushendall  and  Killiney.  It  is  well  to  have 
another  certain  locality  for  a  plant  which  does  not  appear  to  be  common 
in  Ireland.  It  has  been  pointed  out  in  Messrs.  Barrington  and  Vowell's 
paper  on  the  Ben  Bulben  flora,  that  the  place  marked  King's  Mountain 
on  the  Ordnance  Map  should  be  Sea-Fin,  King's  Mountain  being  the  point 
above  Glencar  Eake.  Sea-Fin  is  a  locality  given  for  ArenaHa  ciliata  Linn. 
{Flor.  Hib.)  I  saw  the  plant  growdng  there,  and  also  gathered  the  follow- 
ing mosses  in  a  ravine  on  the  south  side  of  the  same  mountain: — Sivartzia 
inclinata,  Ehrt. ;  Orthothecitim  rtijicens,  Dicks.;  Antitrichia  airtipendtila  (L.), 
Brid. ;  Blepharostoma  ii-ichophylhun,  E. ;  and  Bryiim  concinnaiu??i,  Spruce. 
The  latter  resembles  B.piliforme,  Dicks,  but  is  distinguished  by  its  pointed 
leaves.  Only  stunted  and  barren  specimens  are  met  with  in  this  country, 
but  I  am  told  it  grows  much  finer  in  the  Tyrol.  The  only  other  Irish 
localities  are  in  Kerry  and  Sallagh  Braes,  Co.  Antrim.  In  Slish  Wood, 
on  the  shores  of  Eough  Gill,  were  found  Ditrichicm  flexicault  (Schleich) 
Hampe;  Hyp.  stellat2(?/i,  \qx. protcnsuni,  Brid.;  Lccrsia  contorta  (Waif.)  Eindb., 
all  limestone-loving  plants,  and  Scapania  resupinata  (Einn.)  Dumort. ;  Ade- 
lantJms  decipicns,  Mitt.,  and  Plagiochila  tridenticulata,  Tayl.,  a  species  hereto- 
fore only  recorded  from  the  south.  Some  confusion  seems  to  have  arisen 
between  Ben  Bulben  and  Bulbein  Mount  in  Co.  Donegal,  and  plants  said 
to  have  been  found  at  the  former  by  R.  Brown,  belong  to  the  latter 
locality,  e.g.,  Hyp.  dcntiailaUim,  var.  y8.  obhisifolinvi.  Hook,  and  Bazzania  t7i- 
angtdaris,  Schleich.  He  and  Templeton  made  a  tour  together  through 
Co.  Donegal,  when  these  plants  were  probably  collected. — C.  H.  Waddell, 
Saintfield,  Co.  Down. 


Notes.  195 

ZOOLOGY. 

I  N  S  E  C  T  S  . 

Vanessa  io  at  HowTh.  With  reference  to  Mr.  Starkey's  capture  of 
Vanessia  io  at  Howth  this  summer,  I  think  it  ri^i^ht  to  mention  that  in 
the  summer  of  1891  my  son  set  free  a  considerable  number  of  F".  io  here. 
When  returning  from  school  he  brought  over  the  larvae  from  Marl- 
borough.— George  V.  Hart,  Howth. 

[We  thank  Prof  Hart  for  this  information.  As  F.  io  is  known  to  be  a 
Dublin  insect,  though  not  a  common  one,  no  harm  has  been  done  by  this 
introduction.  But  we  would  take  the  opportunity  of  asking  naturalists 
to  abstain  from,  and  discourage  the  practice  of  artificially  introducing 
species  into  districts.  Specimens  may  be  captured  years  afterwards, 
when  the  fact  of  the  introduction  has  been  forgotten,  and  entirely  false 
conclusions  as  to  geographical  distribution  may  be  drawn  from  their 
occurrence, — Eds.] 

LepidopTERA  in  Co.  Dubinin.  During  the  past  season  I  obtained  in 
Co.  Dublin  some  moths  and  larvse  which  I  think  are  worth  noting.  The 
localities  in  brackets  after  each  species,  are  the  only  other  records  I  can 
find.  One  full-fed  larva  of  Notodonta  dromcdarius  off  poplar,  Tibradden, 
which  has  pupated  [Co.  Wicklow];  a  yoting  larva  of  Lophopteryx  camelina 
also  off  poplar,  near  Mt.  Pelier  [Powerscourt  and  Killarney];  one  fine 
specimen  of  the  noctuid  Hylina  ornithopus,  found  resting  on  a  wall  near 
Carrickmines,  by  a  friend  [Killarne}^  and  Wicklow  rare] ;  Iladena  glauca 
one,  last  June  flying  in  garden  [Belfast,  Londonderry,  Rathowen,  Killy- 
non];  Zandognatha  grisccdis  resting  on  a  wall  nearRathfarnham  [Kingstown, 
Killarney];  and  a  specimen  of  the  pretty  Cidaria  siterata  in  oak  wood, 
Mt.  Pelier  [Co.  Wicklow].— J.  N.  Halbert,  Dublin. 

MOLL  use  A. 

Spirula,  lanthina,  and  Veleila  at  Lough  Swii,i,y.  In  the  Zoologist 
for  November,  Mr.  H.  C.  Hart  writes  that  a  number  of  specimens  of 
Sjnrula  australis,  lanthina  rotundata,  and  Vclclla  sp.  have  been  washed 
ashore  at  Port  Salon,  Lough  Swilly. 

BIRDS. 

IcEi<AND  Gui.1.  (Larus  leucopteriis)  on  Lough  Swii^ly.  Mr.  H.  C. 
Hart  writes  to  the  Zoologist  that  he  has  lately  seen  an  Iceland  Gull  on 
Lough  Swilly,  the  second  that  has  appeared  there  this  autumn. 

Ruffs  (Machetes  pii^ax)  at  Inch,  Lough  Swii^IvY.— About  2nd  Sep- 
tember, Mr.  Herbert  Williams  shot  a  pair  of  Ruffs  at  Inch,  one  of  which 
(a  female),  he  sent  to  me  for  identification.  The  birds  were  flushed  from 
a  flooded  slobland  with  some  four  or  five  inches  of  water  upon  it.  On 
26th  October,  Mr.  John  McConnell  shot  a  Ruff  at  Inch,  which  he  sent  to 
me  to  identify.     It  was  a  fine  male. — D.  C.  Campbell,  Londonderry. 

The  Stock-dove  (Columtoa  senas)  in  Co.  Antrim.  It  is  some  few 
years  since  the  late  Rev.  J.  G.  Holmes  discovered  in  Antrim  Park  what 
he  believed  to  be  the  nest  of  the  vStock-dove.  It  was  placed  in  a  hollow 
under  the  overhanging  bark  of  Don  ere  river,  and  contained  t\yo  eggs 
which  he  removed"  for  preservation,  without,  however,  observing  the 
parent  bird.  Doubts  w^ere  expressed  by  some  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  the 
proofs  of  identification,  no  previous  record  having  been  made  apparently 
of  this  species  being  known  in  the  district ;  but  such  may  now  be  set 
aside,  as  not  only  does  the  bird  occur,  but  by  careful  obser\-ers  may  be 
seen  in  considerable  numbers,  three  or  four  being  frequently  seen  here 
amongst  a  large  flock  of  the  Ring-dove.  The  opportunity  for  observing 
these  birds  whilst  at  rest  are  few;  for  like  the  Ring-doves,  they  are  ex- 
ceedingly shy,  leaving  their  feeding  grounds  when  disturbed,  and  flying 
long  distances  before  again  alighting.  Though  smaller,  they  so  much 
resemble  the  Ring-dove  (especially  immature  specimens  on  which  the 
unmistakable   ring  has   not  shown  itself),  that   undoubtedly  they  are 


196  The  Irish  Naturalist. 

mistaken  for  that  species  in  many  instances  when  shot  by  sportsmen. 
To  a  careful  observer,  however,  the  Stock-dove  is  unmistakable  when 
upon  the  wing.  Congregating  as  they  do  with  the  Ring-doves,  they  rise 
with  them  when  disturbed,  but  as  a  rule  at  once  separate  themselves 
from  the  latter,  taking  a  line  of  their  own  for  some  distant  haven  of  refuge. 
Their  flight  is  a  short,  laboured,  jerky  one,  not  unlike  that  of  the  Blue- 
rock,  the  wings  being  rather  closely  drawn  in  to  the  bod}''  after  each 
stroke,  and  this,  as  distinguished  from  the  strong  steady  flight  with 
distended  wings  of  a  Ring-dove  in  rapid  retreat  from  danger,  is  easily 
observable.  During  the  winter  of  189 1-2  I  obtained  a  good  specimen, 
now  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Williams  for  preservation  ;  and  having 
frequently  observed  these  birds  since,  both  during  the  spring  and 
summer'  months,  I  have  little  doubt  that  they  breedin  the  neighbour- 
hood. The  Stock-dove  is  said  to  breed  at  Powerscourt  in  Co.  Wicklow, 
and  other  instances  may  have  been  recorded.  From  its  similarity  to  the 
Ring-dove,  and  its  habits  of  associating  with  that  species,  it  is  probably 
much  more  general  in  Ireland  than  it  is  supposed  to  be. — H.  D.  M. 
Barton,  The  Bush,  Antrim. 

[One  of  the  eggs  obtained  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Holmes  was  forwarded,  together 
with  a  detailed  description  of  the  nest,  to  Mr.  J.  B.  Harting,  F.Iv.S.,  who 
unhesitatingly  pronounced  it  to  be  the  eggs  of  C.  mias  (see  Proc.  Belfast 
Nat.  Field  Club,  1889-90,  p.  211).  This  bird  has  also  been  known  to 
breed  in  Down  and  L/Outh. — E)ds.] 


GBOIvOGY. 

Supposed  Tertiary  Basai^TS,  N.  W.  Donegai,.  In  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Geological  Survey  the  whinstone  dykeens  of  N.  W.  Donegal,  on 
the  authority  of  Sir  A.Geikie,  are  positively  asserted  to  be  of  Tertiary  age. 
Proof  of  this  assertion  would  be  most  interesting  to  me. 

In  the  western  portion  of  Connemara  (N.  W.  Galway),  and  in  west 
Mayo  these  dykeens  are  more  numerous  than  elsewhere  in  Ireland, 
except,  perhaps,  Carlingford,  Co.  Louth.  In  western  Connaught  a  good 
deal  of  trouble  was  taken  with  them,  and  it  was  proved  they  were  newer 
than  all  the  associated  rocks  except  dykeens  of  felstone.  Similarly  in 
S.  B.  Ireland  I  could  never  prove  whether  whinstone  or  felstone  was 
the  youngest.  Some  of  the  whinstone  dykes  and  dykeens  of  Connemara 
were  so  similar  to  those  of  Carlingford,  that  I  suspected  them  to  be  of 
the  same  age  as  the  Antrim  Boceues;  but  in  vain  were  the  trials  to  prove 
that  they  were  post-Carboniferous,  as  nowhere  in  the  Carboniferous  rocks 
to  the  south  in  Co.  Clare,  or  to  the  north  in  Co  Mayo  could  a  trace  of  them 
be  found,  and  as  far  as  my  experience  goes,  the  same  may  be  said  of 
the  Co.  Donegal. 

In  the  latter  county,  they  are  most  conspicuous  in  the  Malin  promon- 
tory, where  they  have  the  appearance  of  a  streak  of  tar  across  the 
associated  rocks.  Here  they  occur  in  such  a  small  area  that  nothing  can 
be  found  as  to  their  post-Carboniferous  age. 

West  of  Lough  Swilly  at  Ball3anastocken  there  is  a  small  outlier  of  the 
basal  Carboniferous  conglomerates  and  sandstones  ("Bconomic  Geology 
of  Ireland"  pp.  246  and  248).  In  the  older  terranes  to  the  south  and  north 
of  this  basin,  there  are,  at  intervals,  a  few  of  these  dykeens,  but  none  of 
them  could  be  found  crossing  on  in  connection  with  the  Carboniferous 
rocks.  To  the  S.W,  in  the  barony  of  Banagh  there  is  the  Mount  Charles 
and  Lough  Bask  Carboniferous  basin,  and  in  the  country  to  the  north 
thereof  these  dykeens  are  numerous,  but  I  can  find  no  record  of  these 
being  traced  into  the  Carboniferous  rocks.  Trappean  rocks  are  indeed 
associated  with  these  Carboniferous  rocks  in  St.  John's  Promontory,  and 
at  Mount  Charles,  also  at  Donegal,  etc. ;  but  these  to  me  seem  to  be  of  a 
distinct  breed  to  the  rocks  in  the  d3'keens.  I  would  therefore  like  to 
know  on  what  ground  this  positive  assertion  is  made.  My  conclusions 
and  the  reasons  for  them  were  published  years  ago,  but  I  would  now  like 
them  to  be  disproved  or  confirm.ed. — G.  H.  Kinahan,  Fairview,  Dublin. 


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